Bloodstained Rose
by Valkyrims Fury
Summary: The necropolis that was Raccoon City changed the lives of those who survived, and not everyone heals. Her grief turned into rage, turned her into something worse than those monsters she destroys. They nicknamed her Fury. If she were so dangerous as they had said, then what drew him to her? Why won't he just go away? Why does he still stick around?
1. Part 1 Chapter 1: A Rose, Bloodstained

_**Chapter 1: A Rose, Bloodstained**_

_**Washington, D.C.**_

* * *

Working for the United States Government wasn't all too bad. It came with its perks every now and again, depending on which department you belonged to. The downsides however, never ended. Constant suspicion, missions that almost proved to be impossible, endless clearance levels…it was always something. Still, you grit your teeth and move on. That was her only choice in the matter.

She presses the button for the elevator, waiting patiently as she could hear the gears turning as it seemingly arrived on every floor before arriving to the ground level. The doors open and she steps inside, fingers trailing along the buttons before she settles on the top floor—floor 42. The elevator doors close and she's now waiting patiently. However, once she reaches the top, the elevator doors do not open immediately. Instead, she keeps a finger on the 'doors close' button and waits…and waits.

"_Please enter a four-digit code."_ A security system speaks, and the woman's head turned upwards. That seemed to be her cue. She looks back down at the floor numbers, pressing four of them in a sequence. The blue light that highlights them when pressed were now glowing red. She waits once again for another command.

"_WARNING: Security Clearance levels three to five required to access this sector. Please have your valid identification ready before you arrive."_

The elevator disconnected from the main shaft of the building to a secondary one, seamlessly adjusting before descending and shifting once again. She turns around, the second set of elevator doors opening and being greeted by a long and narrow corridor. She enters, the only sound being heard is the clicking of her heels. Upon reaching the end, a scanning area and a shutter blocks her way. She stands still, the body scanner giving her a once over a few times then giving her the all clear to proceed. Now she must wait for the shutters to open once it has identified her.

"_Please wait for identification confirmation…" _It takes a few moments for the automated system to respond, but her posture made it evident that she was used to the wait. The shutters opened and she steps through, greeted by a small team of what looked to be physicians. _"Identification confirmed. Welcome, Alexandra Henderson. Director Brennan has requested you after your morning examinations."_

"As he always does…" She shrugs and follows the examination team, where she is taken to a secluded area of the facility. Like clockwork, she disrobes from her attire and into an examination gown. Alexandra almost loathed the state that she was in now, bringing back unsavory memories she had thought she had suppressed long ago. This job of hers always seemed to bring her right back in the middle of her own suffering.

Very rarely does she drop her mask of indifference and melancholy. She's so used to being neutral about everything that she has forgotten where the façade ended and began. Her experiences in life have left her rather jaded and somewhat fearful of the outside world. Therapists have tried and failed to chip away at the walls she has built around her…she preferred it that way for the meantime. She ignores the pinches all around her body as they finished taking samples of blood and writing down her vitals. The results would take mere minutes, but that was not what she was worried about. The next room over was her constant worry.

The physical assessment rooms. If the name wasn't obvious enough, it was where she and three others would challenge their physical perimeters. The challenges always varied, from speed to power, to endurance. It's such a common occurrence that Alexandra believed that her superior may enjoy the spectacle a little too much.

"Good morning, Miss Henderson." The light clicked on in the observation room above her, and all she could make out was a silhouette of a man. However, she didn't _need_ to see him at all. She preferred it that way. "Ready for your training exorcise?"

Alexandra said nothing. She placed one hand on her hip and her other beckoned to him. She scoffs, her mouth curling slightly at the edges. Everything became dark, then the lights within the physical assessment came back on but were dimmed. A loud buzzing sound is heard, and she immediately ducks. Something had flown past and lodged itself within the wall.

"We shall test your reflexes today. As you already know, the simulations are just that—simulations. Don't rest on your laurels just because of that…understood?"

"…Stop talkin' and lemme work. I know this song and dance."

Her movements are fluid as she dodges the simulated rotary blades. Every exertion meant something the longer this continued. If he could see her face, she'd have the same melancholic expression that most here have come to accept as her normal. She stops in her tracks as the simulation trainer seemed to be moving on to its next stage. The simulated rotary blades disappeared, and what had replaced them were seemingly simple laser sights. Near her, a small counter with a handgun and magazine clip next to it rose from the ground. Alexandra quickly moved over and grabbed the weapon just in time before the lights had dimmed further. She could barely make out her hand in front of her.

In quick succession, she pulls the trigger, shooting the laser sight and rendering it unusable. The other three she counted met the same fate with three quick pulls as well. She exhales a breath she never knew she was holding as the lights came back on to full brightness. Alexandra's brows furrowed. Today's session seemed…too brief. The lock on the physical assessment room door released and she was free to leave now. On the other side, a woman with a somewhat athletic build dressed in a lab coat and a clipboard in her hand was waiting on her. Her black hair was draped to one side and draped across her left shoulder, with the only thing keeping it all intact was a simple scrunchie. Her eyes were hazel in color, staring right back at Alexandra with happiness. Was it feigned? She couldn't tell, but it was a welcome feeling, nonetheless.

"Morning Miss Henderson," She says with glee. "You did wonderful, as always!"

She nods, acknowledging the other's cheerful exclamation. "It was…short this time. Whatever he wants has gotta be important."

"Well, David was talking about a new addition to the program." The woman noted Alexandra's sudden change in mood as she watched her scoff and frown. Of course, this was a sensitive topic. But it was the truth. "I-I didn't mean to upset you Alex, really—"

"No, it's fine Sophie. Just how things are. I've come to accept it." She looks off to the side, hand placed firmly on her hip as she sighed. "I assume the other three have completed their morning exams and their training?"

"Yes, they have! They're waiting for you in the Chief's office."

"…Tell Brennan I'll be there in five. Gotta look decent an' all."

"Yes ma'am. I'll notify him immediately."

She pats Sophie on the shoulder gently, careful as she did so before she moved back to her office to change. At least they dropped her clothes off in a space that was better suited to her. Once she closed the door, Alexandra sighed and examined herself in the mirror. Her dark brown hair was full of loose curls, though a tad bit disheveled from her frenzied movements in the physical assessment room. She was surprised that none of them were frayed, considering how long they were. They sat perfectly just below her breasts in length. As she removed the examination gown, she slowly looked away from herself. In the very middle of her chest there was a tattooed thorny rose with its vines spread out across her upper body and torso. They wrapped around her shoulders and settled just above her navel as the end point. They cleverly covered her frightening scars that couldn't be healed outright…

The terrible memory of Raccoon City, and what she had to survive to get here today. Unfortunately, not many can say that. As she stood completely bare in her office, a lone hand comes up to her neck to grasp at the black velvet fabric choker that was firmly around it. The decoration embedded in it was a rose pendant, bordered with gold and brought to life with ruby and emerald crystals. A simple accessory…yet she knew better. This choker was a leash in the most subtle of ways.

And someone else is bound to hold it, if what Brennan had in mind was about to come to fruition. The mere thought of _wearing_ this was bad enough…but having someone else stand over her? She would rather throw herself off the highest mountain peak and plummet to her death. But she may not have a choice. Then again…when did she ever? They were the American Government's secret little project. She and her unit were to be the greatest asset to end bioterrorism.

She was an Adaptive Tyrant. That was the truth she _and_ they had to accept, and the government made sure to remind them of that.

_Join us or die._

There was no negotiating anything. _Anything _was better than having soldiers with loaded guns aiming their sights on you. They shook in their boots that day like scared school kids, unable to accept what was in front of them, threatening to gun them down like rabid dogs behind a woodshed. There were tears caressing down her face as she begged, _screamed _for them to spare them. They weren't threats. They didn't harm anyone to get back to safety. They just wanted to go home and pretend that the incident never happened. They couldn't do that, they said. It wasn't possible.

They were now property of the U.S Government. Just like that. Shunned and scorned but trained like all the rest. Trained to be soldiers. Unthinking and unfeeling. Her grief was mounting, and the other three people that were with her tried to console her. But somewhere down the line, Alexandra's grief turned to rage. One day, she just stopped crying. She didn't speak for a whole year. She remained in solitude, training and learning. It was all she did. It was all she could do. Her dark brown eyes that once echoed hope had dimmed and glazed over into something unrecognizable. The Alexandra that they knew had perished, just like Raccoon City did back in 1998. Now all that was left in the remains of who she was…is fury.

She adapted, overcame…_survived._ No one can take that away from her.

And god help the poor unfortunate soul that would stand in the path of her rage.

Alexandra slips her clothes back on with ease, straightening out her shirt before putting back on her heels and exiting. She's kept Brennan waiting long enough.

David Brennan was quiet as he studied the files that were illuminated in his office from the window behind him. He was an older man with platinum blond hair and a goatee to match. He tugged on his black and white striped tie and stood up facing the window. His light blue eyes were caught in the gleam of the window's light, and they shewn brightly as he looked down into the traffic below. On the other side within the darkness, three people stood quietly at attention, dressed in suits as well. Two tall, one shortish in height.

"…Horsemen," He called out to them. "Step forward."

The trio stepped forward, awaiting their orders. "…Sir?"

"I know we're waiting on Alexandra, but I want to brief you on why you were all summoned." The trio looked at David with some confusion knitted in their brows. "Working hand in hand with USSTRATCOM hasn't been the easiest, I know. Being a former Air Force Captain, now transferred over to handling this program in the shadows hasn't been easy either, but we've all handled it in stride. We've always been the cleanup crew for whatever they put their hands in regarding bioterrorism, but…it's what we're all fighting against right now. So, to ease tensions…I'm starting a dry run of a new concept: Overlords for you all."

"…Overlords?" The shortest one combed their shaggy blond hair back with a heavy sigh. Dressed in a purple button-down shirt and vest with slacks and shoes to match. "As in…more superiors, huh?"

"In a sense, but they're more than qualified. They'll come straight from USSTRATCOM's roster."

"The amount of briefing you'd have to do though…" The tall, Asian looking man chimed in, slicking back his long raven tresses behind his ear then places a finger on his chin as he thought. "I understand why you wish to use Alexandra as the guinea pig, but…It's a bold move."

"Indeed, it is. But, there's a reason for it…"

"Reason for what, David?" The automated door to the office opened and closed rapidly as Alexandra entered. The remaining horsemen straightened their postures and came to parade rests. "…Already gettin' started. Why don't you start over at the beginnin'?"

"You didn't miss much. Besides me introducing the concept of Overlords I've been working on for the past year."

"Oh yeah…_that_." Needless to say, Alexandra wasn't too keen on the idea. "So…who's the lucky man, or…lady?"

"You'll see. I think you'll like them. They'll be here in two minutes. Can the three of you clear out for the meantime? Please."

Disgruntled as they were from the sudden order, the remaining Horsemen cleared out as directed. Once the automatic door shut, Alexandra sat down in one of the comfy black armchairs and got somewhat comfortable. For some reason, she never could relax around David. Her body was constantly on the defensive, unable to trust those that swung for the winning team. Bioterrorism certainly does a wonderful job of making those who were allies suddenly become enemies. Who's to say the same wouldn't happen with those she's familiar with down the line?

"Can't even begin to know why you've chosen me as the guinea pig," She began sarcastically as she propped her chin in her right hand out of boredom. "Really leaves me _baffled_, if you get my meanin'."

"You think so, Henderson?"

"_Absolutely."_

"Hah! I do this with all of your unit in mind, I assure you."

"Oh _sure,_ I believe you."

A short time later, and David's landline phone had rung. Alexandra inferred that it was probably from the receptionist desk in the lobby. The whole layout of this place confused her even though she had seen it more than one thousand times in total. She wondered how much worse her 'Overlord' had it getting here, to start. She watched him pick up the receiver and speak.

"Chief Brennan."

"There's a man here asking to meet with you." The receptionist had confirmed what Alexandra had already known once the phone rang. "Shall I send him on up?"

"Yes, please. We're waiting on him."

"Right away."

The line clicked and David placed the phone back on the receiver. He organized two portfolios in front of them, which had the word 'Confidential' stamped on them both. He opened each to check their contents, then closed them back. He notes Alexandra's gaze. He liked that she paid attention to every detail with precision…sometimes. The last thing he wanted her to do was to jump to conclusions. They'd all be screwed then.

The automated door to the Chief's room opened and in stepped a man. Dressed in jeans and a midnight blue button-down shirt, he steps forward enough to let the automated door slide shut behind him. He salutes, David and Alexandra both stand to face him. Half of his face was partially obscured by the asymmetrical bang that hung on the right side. His dark blue eyes were caught in the glare of the sunlight that peeked through the curtains.

"Had no idea this existed on the other side of USSTRATCOM," He said. "Learn something new every day."

"Leon Scott Kennedy, in the flesh. Your reputation precedes you. Honored to have you here." David approaches him, hand extended. Leon returns the gesture, shaking his hand. Alexandra bowed her head politely and took her seat once more. If David could sigh loudly, he would. "Please, take a seat next to this lovely lady."

He does so, making himself comfortable. Alexandra crossed her legs in waiting, still looking as bored as she was before Leon even showed up. This was all a formality, she told herself. It'll be over soon. They both pick up the portfolios David distributes to them and open it. They looked to be dossiers of the other person beside them.

"I explained it as best as I could in the Skype call, about a week ago. I assume that with your appearance, you accept?"

Leon's eyes were still scanning Alexandra's dossier, trying to absorb every detail that was offered to him. He looks to his left, catching a glimpse of her as she read his own dossier. _Gorgeous_ was the first word that came to his mind. _Dangerous_ was the next. Dear god, was she dangerous. The dossier couldn't stop saying that word. That and _deadly_. The more he read, the more he slowly understood.

"…I do."

"Good. That means I can finalize your clearance and update both of your IDs. It'll be done within the hour."

The room fell silent for a few minutes more as David updated both Alexandra and Leon's security clearances. All that could be heard was the soft tapping of fingertips on a keyboard. Leon couldn't help but keep glancing over in Alexandra's direction. He couldn't believe that this was possible. That someone this pretty was one of the most dangerous beings in existence. And he was asked _personally_ to be her Overlord.

What exactly would _that_ entail?

"I have a question, Brennan."

"Ask away, Leon. I'm sure you have some doubts."

"Not doubts. Not yet." He closes Alexandra's dossier and sets it back on the desk. "…For my duties as Miss Henderson's Overlord, what exactly would that entail? You said you'd explain it in person."

"Ah, I did." He pauses, pressing the enter key on his keyboard before turning towards Leon. He notes how Alexandra hasn't said anything since he entered the room. "Overlords are basically the handlers for the adaptive tyrants. You will have your own small monitor that will display you and your adaptive tyrant's vitals, and your place in the field. A map of any area that you enter will be scanned and uploaded to said device. Makes the missions easier, if you think about it. From that device, you'll be able to control their limiters as well."

"…Limiters?" He turns toward Alexandra, this time meeting her gaze as she closes his portfolio and places it onto the desk as well. She points to the black velvet choker around her neck with the golden bordered rose motif resting right along the center of her throat. "It's a…choker. Hidden in plain sight."

"Keeps their mutations in check. I'm sure you're familiar with the characteristics and behavior of Tyrants. You've fought enough in your line of duty."

"…Unfortunately." Leon paid attention to her body language at the mere mention of them. It pissed her off. Her jaw worked. Her fist clenched momentarily as she let out a breath, she never knew she was holding it. He didn't know how to respond, if he should at all. "I get it now. I don't think I'll have to use it, but it's good to know about…just in case."

"Well, before we make it official…might as well introduce yourselves to one another. You'll be working together a lot from here on out. Stand up and face each other."

Both do as they were directed, and as they stand in front of one another, Leon can't help but feel like he had shrunk. Her dossier had mentioned that the T-Virus had made her body grow forty percent in height, and thirty percent in body muscle. She had a muscular frame, but the femininity was unmistakable. She towered over him. She looked to be almost seven feet tall with her heels on. She was last checked to be six foot three. It didn't say what her height was when the limiter was removed, and when she mutated. He's honestly still trying to wrap his head around the fact that adaptive tyrants are an _actual _thing. He didn't want to believe it, even after David had given him evidence over that Skype call. The only good thing here was that Alexandra seemed compliant so far.

Alexandra extends her hand for a handshake, simpering at him. "Commander Alexandra Henderson."

"Agent Leon Kennedy." He shakes her hand, almost believing that she would snap it off. She did no such thing, in fact. Her grip seemed to be rather lax instead. Was she afraid of hurting him?

"I want to remind you both that this _is_ a test run. If the data and feedback from you both is positive, this very well may be something that can be used to combat bioterrorism on the regular. For now, this is strictly confidential, and must not be known outside of this building. Is that understood?"

Alexandra nods. "…Sir."

"Yes sir."

David grabs a clipboard and places three sheets of paper on them, then hands it off to Leon along with a pen. It was a contract, cementing their new arrangement. He reads through the three sheets in its entirety, noting that most of these rules were specified to Alexandra and not himself. Being an adaptive tyrant certainly wasn't a medal of honor. She couldn't even refute an order, even if it endangered her safety and his own. That would incur a penalty from the Chief of Command himself.

Jesus.

_Lot of damn red tape for one woman._

Reluctantly, he signed his name and passed it to Alexandra. There's no way she would go through with this. No damn way. How could she work like this? It was like everything depended on him. She was his second hand. With what was listed, there seemed to be no difference between her and the actual tyrants that he has faced.

What the hell did he just sign up for?

"…Henderson, is there something wrong?" David asked. "You're staring."

"…I can't sign this, not with the terms and conditions you've listed in this piss poor contract."

Called it.

"What's wrong with it?"

"It's one-sided, _Brennan._" Alexandra uncrossed her legs and stood up. No man in this room liked where this was going. Leon tensed up his body, preparing to intercept her if necessary. He flinched slightly when she pointed at him. "I've seen your accomplishments listed in the dossier. But those're just words. Can't stand 'em. I'm gonna need _you_ to put your money where your mouth is. That's the only way I'll sign it."

"Alexandra, you're stepping out of line!" David slammed his hands on the desk and stood up. "These were the terms and conditions you signed up for after the Raccoon City incident! It's what Congress settled on."

"More like forced, an' you fuckin' know it." She returns her attention to Leon. "I'll only work with you if you show me you won't be a dead weight. Show me _why_ they hold you in high regard as the poster boy of the Secret Service."

David continued to bellow out his displeasure for Alexandra's sudden declaration for Leon to prove himself. He was even more surprised when he stood up and faced her. He wasn't scared, not externally. Internally, he's terrified of her. Alexandra's presence was just unbelievably dominating. She stared him down as she waited for his answer…and he gave it.

"I'll take you up on that, Miss Henderson. Fair warning though, I don't shoot blanks."

"Show me instead of talkin', Mister Kennedy." She walks out of the office, the automated door shutting behind her. David lets out a heavy sigh and picks up the phone once again after he dialed a number.

"It's Brennan. Unlock Assessment room two. Bring suppressants and stimulants with you. I'll be down shortly. Let the Horsemen spectate if they wish."

He slams down the phone down on the receiver and gets up to meet Alexandra downstairs. "Apologies for this, Leon. Truly."

Leon simply shrugged. He's gotten used to the unusual at this point. "Wasn't expecting another workout. At least my new partner's pretty."

He snorts as he joins David outside of his office and on the elevator. He was being charming now, but he felt like his attitude would change once he was back downstairs. It never failed. His first impression never lasted, always changed to something better…or worse.

"…And goddamn dangerous to boot."


	2. Part 1 Chapter 2: The Four Horsemen

_**Chapter 2: The Four Horsemen.**_

* * *

The elevator stopped on the basement floor, and the door opened to an empty corridor. Halfway down it, there was an open door with voices trailing out. They must have already been inside. David stopped him from entering and pulled him to the side, much to Leon's dismay. He had a feeling that he was going to talk him out of it.

"You don't have to oblige her," He began. Leon had to stop himself from shrugging. "She's just doing this for one-upmanship."

"…Maybe, maybe not. She challenged me, and I don't back down. Besides, her reasoning was valid to me. She deserves to have a partner that can be her equal in the field. I would want the same. Can't have my partner cowering in fear when we're fighting BOWs. Don't have time to be a babysitter."

"You can't be an equal to a tyrant, Leon. Don't be stupid. Even when suppressed, she can still hurt you. And I can't find a replacement for USSTRATCOM's best."

"You won't have to. Have some faith." Leon walks around David, who huffed as they walked into the unlocked physical assessment room. He was greeted by Sophie and the remaining Horsemen. He staggered backwards, taken aback by the fact that there seemed to be more than one adaptive tyrant. Then he remembered that Alexandra had a rank she mentioned not too long ago…

"_**Commander Alexandra Henderson."**_

She was the commander of a small unit of adaptive tyrants.

Shit. She was no joke.

"Elevator that slow today, huh?" Alexandra stretched her back, then sighed. Her heels were being held in one of the Horsemen's hands, and she pulled her hair back into a bun with a scrunchie. She removed her white dress shirt to reveal a black tank top underneath. Leon stopped in his tracks. That thorny rose tattoo peaked out just at the edge of the neck of the tank top. Her muscles flexed and relaxed as she finished her stretches. "Y'all took your sweet time."

"Should probably get a contractor to look at that then, huh? Almost fell asleep in there…Brennan's terrible company." To show courtesy, Leon kicks off his own work shoes and removes his own dress shirt to reveal a black tee underneath. He places them both next to the door and joins her in the center. Sophie walks up towards Alexandra with a syringe filled with a strange solution. She held out her arm without any protest.

"Don't push yourself too far, Alex." Sophie holds Alexandra's arm still as she injects her with the contents and slides the needle out once it was empty. "The stopwatch is set, Director. Time limit is two minutes, then the P-Epsilon injection will be in full effect."

"P-Epsilon…?" Leon felt like he had heard that somewhere before. Back in Raccoon City, with those files he stumbled upon as he looked for a way out of that hellhole with Claire and Sherry. Was she just injected with a concentrated form of anti-BOW gas? Was that it? "Is that…the name of her suppressant?"

"Officially, yes. T-Suppressant works just as well. Not many know it as the former." Sophie steps back to a safe distance and pulls a stopwatch out of her lab coat pocket. "As said before, the time limit is two minutes. That's all we can give you, then I must retrieve Commander Henderson. Is that understood?"

"Got it." Leon assumes a fighting stance and focuses his senses on Alexandra. She too assumed a fighting stance, though it's something he hasn't really seen before. Her left hand was on her hip, but her eyes were narrowed. Was she still relaxed, even when she was handicapped? She didn't want for confidence, that's for sure. He liked that. "…Ready when you are."

The physical assessment room fell silent and the air slowly became bated. The tension broke as Alexandra was the first to go on the offensive. Leon was expecting a blow of some sorts, so he instinctively blocked. Instead, his arms were seized, and he was flipped over her shoulders and unceremoniously thrown onto the ground. He blinked and immediately tried to recover by grabbing one of her legs and bringing her down to his level. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. She had already braced herself and he couldn't get a foothold.

"Nice try." She attempts to pick him back up, and Leon rolls out of the way. He rushes forward, stopping just before her to pivot his left leg into a roundhouse motion. Alexandra brings her arms up to deflect his kick. Her body vibrated slightly as it connected, and once she was sure the motion was complete, she brings her left knee up to connect with his side as he was mid-recovery from his previous attack. The knee does connect rather gingerly and Leon's hand comes up to cover the affected area. To keep her from capitalizing, Leon rolls away once again to maintain distance and regain a vertical base. Her defense is solid, but she was beginning to get irritated. Her brows were furrowed, and he could see her jaw working slightly. "All this goddamn rollin' around…"

"What, and let you grab me? If it's not for my belt, I'll pass."

"Fuckin' prick." She runs up to him, her foot swinging forward as if she were trying to hit a soccer ball. Seeing an opening finally, Leon grabs her leg to destabilize her and pushes her back to knock her down. She does lose her footing and she's on her back, staring upward. She recovers a few seconds later, her legs wrapping around his ankles to bring him down to her level. He manages to wrest free and backflip to a safe distance. While all of this is happening, Alexandra is making mental notes of how Leon has handled her so far.

He relied on his speed and agility. He was watching her move and adjusted accordingly. He moved around like water—formless and constantly in motion. It was interesting to watch, to see him pick and choose when to move in and move out of danger. If only more agents were like him. Leon moved into her range once again, punches being thrown to keep pressure on her now that he realizes that she was becoming somewhat sluggish.

"Thirty seconds," David bellows out. "Then you have to disengage."

Alexandra kicks it into high gear now, revealing more of her fighting style as she does so. She leans back to let his punches fly, then she dashes inward with a flying knee. She knows he'll dodge this, as her speed and strength aren't what they used to be due to the T-Suppressant. And he does, smoothly moving to the left of her and pushing her away. Unfortunately, she had reach and could continue her onslaught even though she stumbled back a couple of paces. Her foot catches the side of his knee, making him buckle. As she attempts to axe kick him on his head, Leon uses that movement to his advantage and sweeps her other leg from under her and attempts to pin her for her troubles. As quick as the motion happened, he flips again…and finds himself pinned instead. Alexandra was holding him down via his forearms and looming over him.

And just like that, he was completely at her mercy. Her speed and strength may have been decreased, but her reaction time was unaffected. He could've sworn that he had her. Evidently, he wasn't the only one that could be quick on his toes.

Holy shit. This woman was something else.

"…Time's up!" Sophie clicks off the stopwatch and runs towards the duo. Alexandra chuckles to herself as she continued to keep a vice-like grip on his forearms.

"If you're gonna keep me pinned like this," Leon began, grunting as he attempted to wiggle free. It didn't work. "At least take me out to dinner first."

Alexandra shakes her head as it slowly begins to dip down. She was trying to catch her breath somewhat as she was left winded. The full effects of the T-Suppressant were finally hitting her. "Not a snowball's chance in hell…but as a partner? You'll do. You'll _definitely_ do."

She rolls off to the side of him, where Sophie already had another syringe ready to go. She kneels to Alexandra's level and injects her with its contents, holding her arm steady. The remaining Horsemen move to where they both lay with the tall, dark skinned man kneeling next to her. His brown eyes bore into hers, his tribal tattooed left arm moving towards her free arm. She snorts, poking him in the nose. He lets out a noise of displeasure and stands up straight.

"Don't even say it," Alexandra began, waving dismissively. "I heard you fine. We were just sparrin', Jacob."

_But…I didn't hear him say anything._

Leon was next to her and didn't hear him say a word. In fact, _none _of them spoke.

What did she mean by that?

"…Still though." He holds out both of his hands for Leon and Alexandra to take. They both latch on and pull themselves to a vertical base. "Always hoggin' all the fun for yourself, I see."

"Wasn't for fun," She reiterated, moving over to where she tossed her shirt and picking it up. "I had to know if he's got merit. Ain't got time to hold someone's hand when we're face to face with a B.O.W, now do I?"

"Fair, fair…"

Leon stretches and goes back towards the entrance to pick up his dress shirt and shoes. He was surprised when the remaining Horsemen kept their composure. He didn't have time to focus on their body language when he faced Alexandra, but the way they suddenly came to her aid…loyalty was a strong point here. It brings him comfort to know that she had created a reliable unit. Still, seeing them move fluidly and return to David without so much as a syllable spoken between them…there's something he should know here.

"Hey Alexandra," He began, tying his shoes securely and slipping on his dress shirt. "You plan on introducing me to your unit? Get off on the right foot and all that."

It was only fair for her to do so. He met her, but not the rest of her unit. The three of them lined up perfectly behind her, staring forward. Alexandra chuckled as they assumed their positions. This wasn't necessary, but it was nice to know that they took this seriously.

"Since you're so eager, why not?" She shrugged, motioning to the male behind her. "The man with the tribal tattoo and curly hair that helped us up, his name's Jacob. I call him War. Can overpower a movin' tank with ease and make the battlefield his bitch the moment he touches down in ground zero."

Alexandra moves to the side, pointing to the shorter, blond haired male. He was already smiling and jumping on top of her back. "Hey, what're you doin'!?" Even as exasperated as she was, she continued her introductions. "This here's Marco. Goes by Strife. A brilliant hacker. There ain't much he can't get his hands on when he's workin'. By the time you've discovered a breach, he's already done and gone."

"Hah! I do more than that, but I keep my cards close to my chest." Marco points at his head. "A close-knit group, who's a jack of all trades. We're made to last, but our enemies better start counting the moments."

War and Strife…Leon was beginning to see a pattern. Process of elimination already told him what two names were left, but he didn't know which one belonged to whom. Once again, he felt like he was shrinking in a room full of paradoxes. Four Adaptive Tyrants with the ability to level anything and everything that would stand in their way…and he had the 'pleasure' of being the Overlord for the leader.

Lucky him.

"Last but not least—" Marco had jumped down from Alexandra's back finally, "The tall Asian man with long black hair and hazel eyes is named Zero. Damn good at subterfuge. Can snipe a target over five hundred yards away…without a scope. Can be slightly spooky at times, but he's a good person. On the field, I call him Death. All who step in his sights are bound for the pits of hell."

"You give me too much credit Commander," Zero says, unflinching in his current stance. "I simply perform as expected."

"Ever the humble one…and me makes four, but you already know who I am." She points to herself. "You can call me Fury if you haven't guessed already. We make up the Adaptive Tyrant Unit, The Four Horsemen. The U.S Government's best kept secret…for the meantime."

Right…the government was knee deep in this endeavor. It's why they were even allowed to exist after Raccoon City. Leon decides to not ask any more questions and nods. When it all comes down to it, he only had to worry about Alexandra. It was nice to put names to faces, though. After a brief silence, David steps forward to address them.

"I assume he fits the bill for you then, Henderson?" He asks. The contract was never completed. "Does that mean you'll sign it now?"

Alexandra crosses her arms and scoff. If he wasn't going to modify the clauses, then what would be the point? Like she had said before, it was entirely one-sided with Leon calling all the shots. Usually, she would have no problem with it and let him do his own thing. It was an entirely different scenario considering he was the one now holding her leash. The fact that he could yank it whenever he pleased didn't sit well with her. Relinquishing control with no fair tradeoff made her feel trapped.

"Depends on if you'll revise the contract to where it's _equally_ favorable."

"Denied." David wasn't backing down on this one. "Can't have free reign this time, Alexandra. It defeats the purpose of the Overlords."

"…Whatever." She never said she was going to negotiate anything about the contract, only to test and see if Leon was worth the accomplishments given to him. She's done that, so she had no reason to revise the contract without going back on her own word. With a sigh, she shrugs. She was no liar, and she would honor it…for the meantime. "I came down here and did what I said I was gonna do. Gimme the damn thing. I'll uphold my words."

"Good to hear. That also means I can debrief you on your first mission together. Come on. Back to the office, all of you."

* * *

The office was quiet as Alexandra signed on the dotted line. She wasn't too enthused, that was true. But she upheld what she said and continued as normal. The remaining Horsemen stood off in the near background, listening intently to what was to be said.

"While this was to be your first mission together, I realized that this particular target is in an area that the Horsemen already frequent," David begins. "It bleeds into another assignment that they've been handling thus far."

_Another assignment?_ Leon thinks to himself as he leans back into the black armchair. What assignment could they have gotten that requires an entire unit of tyrants to take on? With how durable they are, he'd think all it needed was one. He was somewhat apprehensive now, but he remains quiet to see if David would explain.

"It's witness protection. Any details about the individual can be obtained through Commander Henderson. She leads this mission and oversees their safety until otherwise is stated. And with the contract fully signed, it's now in effect…which makes it official that you are now Alexandra's Overlord. This doesn't change how the mission has been handled. It'll make for some good insight on how they operate…don't you think, Overlord Kennedy?"

Overlord. For some reason, the new honorific, if he could call it that, made his skin crawl something fierce. No doubt that this would take some getting used to, and that was the easy part. The hard part was wondering if he and Alexandra would mesh well in the field. Their recent banter was somewhat playful, but she remained mission minded and brought him low even with a disadvantage. The time he was going to put into this was going to give every training regimen he'd beat into his body a run for its money.

Just when this job couldn't get more exciting for him.

"It'd be nice to see how they all interact and take on a mission." Leon rests his chin into the palm of his right hand. "It'll give me some sort of perspective. But what about our current objective? What's the correlation between their witness protection target and this one here?"

"Hah. I'm getting to that." David stands up, the lights dimming as a projector screen comes down. The actual projector comes down moments later and a small slideshow begins. The first slide that is shown is a photo of a tall, lanky man that is dressed in a suit. His hair is brunet and slightly long, to just about his shoulders. He's clean shaven and he's walking down a street in the current photo. "This man is Julian Windsor. Looks like a youthful young man, he's a government worker at the Washington Navy Yard in Southeast DC. Recently, it seems as though his branch that handles the coming and goings of the Navy's money has been seeing insufficient funds as of late…he's also been frequenting a certain club in Northeast DC after hours."

The slide now switches to what seems to be another photo with the setting being the interior of a nightclub, with Julian laughing in a private area with people who are also well dressed. Alexandra's face deadpanned. She knew where this was going, but she allowed David to continue. Now she knew why her charge was brought up out of the blue. She recognized him now.

But what did this have to do with them?

"His superiors believe that he's siphoning money in order to fund this endeavor, but I believe there's a reason for them telling USSTRATCOM about it."

"It damn well better be." Alexandra snaps, crossing her legs and then her arms. "How much money's gone missin', and what are the details with the account that they've found associated with this?"

"Over fifty million has gone missing from the Navy Yard's account, and the last person it touched hands with was Windsor. Investigations are taking place to see if he has a hidden account or an account overseas."

"…How'd they lose track of that much money? They blind or somethin'?" Alexandra was less than pleased. "Sounds like they're pointin' fingers like children than findin' pieces of the puzzle. He's a regular at Howler, at least. Gives me and my boys an advantage. I'll let the owner know so she ain't too spooked."

_Howler_ _is the name of this nightclub?_ Leon inquires internally. The owner in question must be The Four Horsemen's charge that was mentioned before. He's never stepped foot in this club, but he's seen it multiple times. It was quite popular. This was an excellent chance to see their approach to the situation up close and personal. He's almost excited to see what's going to happen.

"Alright. Your objective is to gather information and see if he's connected to the missing funds. Hopefully, this isn't anything but simple miscommunication. Your mission begins now. Good luck to all of you."

The slideshow ended and the projector and screen disappeared into the ceiling where they came from. The lights came back on fully, and the room cleared out shortly after.

* * *

The doors to Howler are pushed open rather gingerly. The time was only 2PM, so there wasn't anyone on the inside besides the owner. Marco went behind them all to relock the double doors. The owner was on the second floor, in her office. The light was on, and she seemed to be moving around a bag of some sorts. Alexandra walks up the stairs and knocks on the office door. Just what was in that thing?

"…Sarah?"

"Ah!" The young woman threw the bag across the room and hit the corner of the wall. It fell to the ground with an unceremonious plop. "M-Miss Henderson, I wasn't expecting you until later on this evening…"

"Looked like you and the bag were fightin' and you both were losin'," She chuckled. She closed the door behind herself and sat down in one of the midnight blue couches that was pressed against the wall. She wasn't going to stay in it long. "Came here to tell you that I got someone else besides my unit here. Wanna go meet 'im?"

"Uh…sure." God, first scared by her…now she must meet someone new? Today was certainly beginning to be interesting for once. Sarah gathers her composure as Alexandra opens the door and leads her back down to ground level. She was already staring in Leon's general direction. _Who was this man?_ That was the question she asked herself as she descended the stairs. Compared to everyone else in the room, she was probably the smallest. Her frame was smaller than everyone else's, and she wasn't as 'equipped' as Alexandra was. Her stature, her curves and her confidence…she wished she had it. Maybe if she did, she wouldn't be knee deep in the situation she was in now. She extends her hand to Leon, somewhat shaky as she waited for him to reciprocate. "Hi. Nice to meet you Mister…?"

"Leon Kennedy." He extends his own hand, taking hers in his and shaking it slightly. He gave her a smile, a taste of his charm, to help her feel better. Luckily, it took and the tension in her hand dissipated. "Nice establishment here. Wonder what it looks like when it's open."

"Like a whirlwind of booze, hot girls and music. You'd like the atmosphere…if you manage to get in early."

"I'll be here before the door opens. I'm with these guys indefinitely. Should be fun."

"Careful now," Alexandra snorted, folding her arms. "Get too outta pocket and Jacob'll throw you out on the street. You're here to _observe_ us in action, not be a fuckin' headache."

"I'm not _that_ ridiculous."

"We'll see about that, pretty boy."

For some reason, that nickname struck a chord with him. The moment he showed agitation, Alexandra smirked. He wasn't as foolproof as he believed himself to be. He's still human under that hard agent exterior he built. He still felt like a normal person. How she wished she could do that again. All that was left was to wait for the evening.

This poor young man won't even know what hit him. Four Adaptive Tyrants and an Overlord…he wouldn't stand in chance in hell.


	3. Part 1 Chapter 3: Howler

_**Chapter 3: Howler.**_

* * *

By 8 PM, the sidewalk was beginning to fill up with patrons waiting to file in. Jacob was standing by the door in waiting. Zero and Marco were standing on the second and third floors respectively as security. Leon stares upward as the lights began to turn on and slowly change into different iridescent colors of the spectrum. Workers started to come in and change into their work clothes. The DJ was setting up his small studio to play loud music that would last well into the night.

Where was Alexandra?

"So…what's in the that bag you threw across the room, Sarah?" She asked.

"Uh…It's something I wanted you to wear tonight," Sarah responded. "For Formal Wear night."

"I already had somethin' in mind, but let's see what you workin' with."

Sarah runs over to where she had thrown the bag earlier in the day, untying the knot she kept it in and laid out a few items. Starting with a pair of pure white heels with the actual heel covered in a gold coating that made it shimmer when it reflected light. Alexandra couldn't take her eyes off them. She was also wondering how much this ended up costing. Sarah then pulled out a pure white long-sleeved lace evening gown with a deep cut down towards the breast area. It had a long trail, so half of it remained in the bag. She pulled out a matching lingerie underwear set to complete the ensemble. At this point, Alexandra wasn't sure what to say. A lot of thought and money went into this outfit…what did she have planned?

"Uh…just from lookin' at the dress, I'm certain this cost more than just a couple hundred dollars." She shook her head. "I'm scared to pour drinks at my bar downstairs in this. I'll look like a bottle of milk!"

"It's a contrast to your skin color, and you'd look like the purest thing in the club." Sarah's smile was mischievous. If it weren't for the fact that she had to stay here for the meantime, there's a good chance that she would have jumped down from the second floor and bolted out of the nightclub altogether. "Would give the name of the club a whole different meaning. They'll be lining up to get a drink from Miss Ava Reid!"

"That's what worryin' me, Sarah. Men are…vultures. Wolves in a pack almost…Howler couldn't be a better name for this place."

"Aw, come on! At least try it before you criticize. Pleeeease?"

Alexandra stares at the contents of the bag, then back at her. Bartender or not, she still worked here. Whatever the boss said, went. She wasn't content with this at all. At least it was something she could work with. She grabs the clothing and points towards the door. "…Do y'mind, Sarah?"

"Yeah, I'll just…" She gets up and leaves the office, traveling downstairs to make sure everything was running smoothly before opening. Jacob was still by the door, Zero and Marco were still in their respective spots on the upper floors. She approaches Leon, who seemed to be lost in translation. She couldn't believe that Alexandra had another superior placed on top of her. She was already efficient enough, so what purpose did he serve? Sarah knew she wasn't going to get an answer. Everything she gets told regarding herself was on a 'need to know' basis. She's supposed to be a civilian in hiding.

Of course, she's going to be left in the dark.

"Is everything alright Mister…Kennedy?" She was undoubtedly nervous.

"Yeah, just…this is a big place. All points of entry are covered, right?" He's seen things go to hell in a handbasket overnight in venues like this. He's seen weddings, receptions and concerts become a mass grave for innocent souls in mere minutes. Panic is the worst kind of enemy in places like these. Leon wants to remain optimistic because there's four adaptive tyrants around, but they're still just four people. Underneath the surface, he was an anxious mess. He's gotten used to hiding it, and he can't tell if that was a good or a bad thing. Seeing as though nothing has happened in this place, it can't be all that bad.

"Y-Yes, it is. Um…" Sarah coiled a lone strand of hair around her index finger out of nervousness. "All drinks for you are on the h-house by the way! To make you…c-comfortable here. Miss Ava will be running the bar as long as necessary tonight…just until you guys find your man, I suppose."

"…Ava?" He raises a brow in confusion for a moment. "Is that the other bartender that will be working with Alexandra?"

"Ava _is _me, pretty boy." Her heels clicked loudly as she descended the stairs. The trail from the white lace evening gown flowed behind her gracefully with every step. Her nails had been also been painted to match her outfit, and she wore a white ombre wig that trailed and ended at her tailbone. Sarah let out a surprised sound and cheered. Leon was simply stunned into silence. "Judgin' by both of your reactions…It's good, I guess."

"Ooh, Miss Ava…" Sarah approaches Alexandra, pulling at the fabric that barely covered her breasts. "I've never seen you look so ethereal before. I misjudged the cup size, so forgive me. It was the biggest I could find."

"Ah, It's all good." Alexandra dismisses the worry she showed. She's worked with worse, and this wasn't anywhere near awful. All she cared about was their target. If it lured him in, it was worth wearing. Sex appeal always worked, whether you were going to use it notwithstanding. She learned that quickly and capitalized on it, much to her annoyance. It's landed her in weird situations before, but she's always kept a cool head and got out somehow. She felt like this mission was going to be no different, even with Leon in tow. "If it'll bring our target to the forefront, then it's worth it."

"If you say so. I'm gonna tell Jacob to let the VIPs in. Let me know if you need more ice and such, okay?"

"Gotcha." Sarah stepped away and Alexandra let out a heavy sigh. "Ugh, fuck."

"…Ava, huh?" Leon's mouth curled into a smirk. "Why the cover name?"

Alexandra points behind her to the large bar area designated across the dance floor unamused. There was a neon red sign that said 'The Rosebush' over it. "Was hopin' for you to get it, but I guess I was askin' for too much. Go to the bar and act like a patron. I'll tell you the short version 'cause it won't take long for this place to fill up."

She begins to walk away, but she's yanked back by him by her hand. The anger appeared on her face too quickly and she squeezed his roughly in response. He pulls out a compact taser and a holster, waving it slightly. When they left USSTRATCOM's building, she didn't see him grab any items or weapons on the way out. He didn't take any detours, either. Where was he keeping that?

_Probably hid that in his jacket,_ Alexandra thought to herself. _Clever bastard._

"Whatchu want me to do with that?" She asked. She didn't need it, if that's what he was hinting at. "I don't need a weapon."

"Don't give me that. Put it on," He says, holding it out for her to take. "You don't know what might happen. Better safe than sorry."

"I don't need it. Forgotten that I'm one myself already?" She snaps.

"But you can't use your abilities in plain sight, can you?" Leon returned fire, snapping back just as she did. "By law, you can't do a damn thing that would reveal what you are without _my_ permission. Stop being stubborn and put it on."

"I said I don't fuckin'—w-what the hell are you doin'!?"

Leon didn't listen to her protests any longer, he just kneeled and lifted the non-slit side of her evening gown up and strapped the holster across her right thigh, then put the taser in the open slot. He tried to be as quick as he could about it before Alexandra decided to power kick him across the dance floor. He smooths the gown out from where he had been, and he forced himself to meet her angry gaze.

"You wouldn't do it. I had to do it for you. Was that so hard?"

She points back to the bar as a response. Satisfied that he knew that she wasn't going to take it off, he walks over to the bar and takes a seat in the very middle. Loud music began to blare, and the doors finally opened to let the VIP members funnel in. Alexandra grabbed a clean empty glass and set it down in front of her.

"Whatcha want to drink, darlin'?" Her tone suddenly changed to something sultrier and endearing. She had a smile on her face that could make any person's heart flutter with excitement. Leon was no exception, and he found himself already caught in her charms. "Name it."

"Shouldn't really be drinking on the job, but I don't want to be rude to Sarah…nor you." His knuckles rap on the white marble finish of the bar counter as he perused the selection behind her. "Just…a whiskey on the rocks. The old tried and true."

"Can't argue with you there. Comin' right up." She scoops a few ice cubes into the empty glass and turns around to pick up a bottle of whiskey, twisting the cap and filling up the glass until the ice touched the rim. "Lemon rind or zest?"

"Both is good."

"Ooh. Darin', ain't we?"

Alexandra reaches down into another compartment, pulling out a chilled lemon. She leans over to pull out a mini grater and a knife and begins grating the lemon gently over his glass of cold whiskey. Once she was satisfied with the amount of zest, she uses the knife to peel a line of rind off of the lemon itself, making a small slit along the side and curling it a bit before putting it on the edge of Leon's glass and giving it to him. He grabs the glass, impressed by how quickly she had made the drink. Simplistic in nature, but still easy to mess up.

"Here you go. Enjoy."

"Thanks. Bottoms up." He easily downs half of the liquid courage, giving a hum of approval as the glass smacked back down on the counter and the ice cubes clinked together. "Not too lemony. Thought you were going to be heavy handed and give me half lemon juice in the process."

"And turn away a handsome patron such as yourself? Never." Alexandra chuckled, sticking true to her character. "You're a new face 'round here. Welcome to Howler."

"Happy to be here."

There is a small silence that envelops the bar, the chatter within the nightclub making good background noise as Leon waited for Alexandra to say something. She finished cleaning off the utensils she had used to make his drink, along with the area at the counter where she had begun. She drops the pretense finally, slipping back into her normal personality.

"Y'know why we use cover names on jobs like this, right?" Her voice is low so only he could hear her. "…'Cause if someone knows my real name, they can look me up easily. They can't look up my _other_ profile, but they can look up a good chunk of whatever the fuck else. And with Sarah, _I'm_ better safe than sorry. Can't take the risk."

"What exactly are you guarding her from?" He asks, taking another sip of his lemon whiskey.

Alexandra scoffed. "Not tellin' you when the walls are prone to havin' ears. Maybe after we get our guy. I'll tell you."

"…Fine." Leon had never noticed how in the dark he was here. He honestly felt like David threw him to the wolves while blindfolded. He's feeling his way around, and he's getting somewhere. But he wanted some answers. He wanted to know more about the Four Horsemen. He wanted to know more about the Adaptive Tyrant Program. He wanted to know more about their survival of Raccoon City.

He wanted to know more about his partner.

"So," Leon brings his own voice back up to a conversational level. "How can I get to know more about you, Miss Ava? You're a wonderful person to talk to so far."

"That interested in me, huh? Well, I can tell you one way." Alexandra reached down below the counter and ripped off a medium sized card and slid it across the counter to him with a pen. It was a reward tracker, in a sense. It had an avatar of Alexandra dressed in all red, holding a rose and sitting in a luxurious chair.

'_Drink five of Miss Ava's specialty drinks and receive a reward from the listing provided by the owner herself! Come for the drinks, stay for the beautiful Red Rose!'_

"…Huh." Leon signs his name as designated on the tracker. Alexandra then takes It from him momentarily, pulling out a stamper and placing a rose shaped stamp on the first open slot before giving it back to him. "That's all it takes?"

"Not as easy as it seems, hotshot. You're not the only one that wants to fill these out." She puts the stamp away and sighs. "A lotta men _and _women die to have these complete, and the rewards are pushin' it. I ain't too keen on it, but again…boss' orders. If you manage to beat the crowd that fills in every weekend, you could be one of 'em."

Not even a moment later, and Jacob opens the double doors for the patrons to come in. They're searched and carded at the entrance before they're allowed full entry, as policy dictates. The music begins the blare, to the point that both Alexandra and Leon could feel the bass reverberate through their bodies. This night couldn't be over fast enough.

"I hope you don't mean literally." He places the card into an inner pocket of his leather jacket and finishes the rest of his drink that was slowly beginning to dilute from the melting ice. "So, this drink counted. Four more to go."

"One per visit, darlin'. Gotta keep it fair and all."

The night is calm in terms of the night life. Patrons came and went from the bar, some lingered and spoke with Alexandra then went back to the dance floor with a drink in hand. Leon had his run in with female patrons that wanted him to join him, but he refused. He was more interested in 'Ava' than anything tonight. The look on their faces as they politely accepted his refusal made him raise his eyebrow in surprise. He had to put himself back into mission mode. _This isn't what I'm here for,_ he reminds himself.

Alexandra kept up the façade rather well on her end. She gave off an air of welcome and calming to all those that came to the bar. Serving drinks and readying orders, she did a bit of everything. The white trail behind her only added to her allure, and eventually the bar became crowded. It would be difficult for them to find their quarry in here.

"Miss Ava?"

Just as the crowd slowly dissipated, a tall and lanky man dressed in a red suit came up to the bar and laid out the reward tracker card. There was only one open slot left on it. Alexandra continued to smile, and Leon remained inconspicuous, yet they both knew.

Julian Windsor was right in front of them. Like a horse to water, he showed up. But could they make him drink? Leon hoped so as he removed himself from the bar and wandered elsewhere. He was going to let her handle it. Above him, Marco began moving around and eventually moved into Sarah's office. Zero moved to take his place, peering over the railing of the second floor.

They were already moving into place. In his pocket, Leon's phone vibrated. An unread message was blinking across the screen:

_[Operation begins now.]_

"Must've been Marco," He mused to himself. Leon moves into the shadows near the stairway to the second floor and waits. It wasn't close to the bar and he couldn't make out their conversation, but he could still see Alexandra. His phone vibrates again.

_[Go out back and prepare the car.]_

How was he so sure that Alexandra got him in her clutches? Nevertheless, he did as he was told, sneaking out the back-door exit where he had parked the car they were given for this mission. He pulled out the keys and started ignition but kept the headlights off. No one could see inside, and the windows were bulletproof. The doors were five inches thick, made from the same materials that were used for transporting the president locally. As he waited, it gave him time to think.

He wanted to think about the approach. While it was obvious to him how Alexandra was going to ensnare Julian, he didn't like it. Adaptive Tyrant or not, and he has stressed this to her multiple times before getting here, she's still a woman. She was still something that people would _salivate_ over, even if she didn't mean to attract. That was just how the world worked, unfortunately. He wanted to help her, he wanted to do something. Damn this observing bullshit, he was a government agent. He wanted to be useful.

He's a worrywart. He's a mess.

His hand comes up to massage his left temple.

Leon looks to his right as he hears a rap on the passenger side window. It was Marco, dressed in casual wear now instead of his security outfit. He unlocks the car, allowing him entry. He was carrying a small backpack with him. He couldn't help but wonder what its contents were.

"Pull out your monitor," Marco says as he reaches into the backpack and pulls out a laptop. "You should be able to track the commander with it."

Leon reaches into one of his inner pockets and pulls out the monitor in question. Both he and Alexandra's positions on the map were shown. Alexandra seemed to be moving steadily along. She was a vehicle. There was no doubt that she managed to nab Julian now.

He starts up the ignition and puts the car in reverse, then in drive, and speeds off while keeping a safe distance.

* * *

"…And that's why I chose this."

"Oh. That's interestin'." Alexandra was trying her best to remain interested in what Julian was saying, but it was difficult. She's never had someone be so infatuated with her. It was almost creepy. She sets her right palm on her thigh, absently checking for the compact taser that Leon had gave her earlier. She's hoping that she wouldn't have to use it. "I thought Sarah had removed that option, but I guess not."

"I'm glad she didn't! You know, I was nervous about this at first…" He makes a left turn onto the highway. "…Because I didn't think you would agree. Taking the risk paid off, huh?"

She gives Julian her best smile. She inwardly chants that this would all be over soon, that Marco and Leon would be right behind her and interrogate this man so they could move on. This man, no _kid—_was young. He's probably just thinking like any guy at his age would—with their dicks.

"Yeah!" She responds, sweeping her hair back behind her shoulder. "You're good lookin', Mister Windsor. Any woman would be lucky enough to have you."

"Maybe, but you're the lucky lady tonight. Should've seen all their faces back there. Sucks to be them!"

_Fuckin' gag me and throw me in the Potomac._

The thought flashed before she could stop it. She had to stifle her laughter. Her own hatred for the situation was baffling, considering it was the idea she proposed, and they all agreed upon. It was the easiest since they took the venue into consideration. Two stayed back at the nightclub and two moved with the target, so all bases were covered.

"Hah, if you say so." She gazes out into the lights that lit up Washington DC. It was beautiful to see. It was a place she was so used to, it felt weird to leave. "So, where are we goin'? You never said where you were takin' me."

"Oh, you'll see. My dad's a pretty high up guy in one of those pharmaceutical companies, and we have a mansion in Potomac, Maryland. Not too far from DC, about…twenty minutes or so. We're almost there." He reaches over towards Alexandra once he stopped at a red light and lightly grabs her chin. She had to stop herself from yanking herself away. "…You look amazing in all white. Truly. I can't stop looking at you."

"You flatterin' me, Julian?" She chuckled, grabbing onto his wrist gently. "You're makin' me feel prettier than I already am."

"I can show you better than I can tell you, Ava. Honest."

_Please don't._

The rest of the ride was somewhat quiet, with the music of the radio blaring throughout Julian's luxurious car. Alexandra gazes into the rearview mirror and catches a glimpse of Marco on the passenger side. They were behind two cars, a reasonable distance.

_We're right behind you, commander._

_Gotcha._

This night couldn't end fast enough in their eyes. The operation has barely started, and they couldn't wait for this mission to be over.

_What a fuckin' pain._


	4. Part 1 Chapter 4: Tyrant Resonance

**_Chapter 4: Tyrant Resonance._**

* * *

Leon and Marco tail Julian until he makes a turn into a neighborhood and park in front of a gate. A few moments later and it opens, allowing them entry. They circle back around to be inconspicuous, with Marco monitoring their movements until Alexandra's own movements came to a halt. For the moment, they were still in motion and slowly entering the house. Leon pulls over next to a curb and switches the headlights off.

"Did they stop?" He asked quietly.

"Not yet." Marco's eyes remained on the monitor. Once Alexandra's marker stopped moving, he turned his attention to the laptop. There was a black screen and then a small window in the very middle that required a code to access it. He quickly punched in said code and waited for the screen to load. "They're entering the house."

Leon kept his eyes forward. He couldn't see much from where they were parked, but he had to keep out of view. Julian had no doubt noted his face, so him showing up on his doorstep would do more harm than good. He wished he could hear what was being exchanged. Was it being recorded? What was on Marco's laptop that he needed to carry it with him?

So many questions, and no answers in sight. It was infuriating.

"We're going in?" He asked.

"I am," Marco responded. "You stay here until I give the signal. I'll be back."

"Wait, what? I have to stay here?" Leon was pissed. "What are you about to do!?"

Marco raises a finger to his lips, silently asking for him to shut up for the meantime. "I'll tell you in a bit. Keep watching that monitor until then."

Begrudgingly, Leon does as he's told. Marco takes his laptop with him and makes for Julian's mansion. With little effort, he vaults over the gate with one powerful leap. He uses the trees to mask his movements, but he notices the cameras on the side of the house that pointed outward. He didn't know where the main system would be located, and to know exactly where, he had to get inside.

Fine by him.

With a few buttons pressed on the laptop, the blinking red lights on the camera ceased and any security systems were now dark…but the time window would be short. Marco closes the laptop and makes a run for one of the doors and surprisingly opens it. Did Julian not lock the door behind him? Being privileged must've been nice for him.

Not so much anymore. Now two tyrants were in his home.

The inside of the mansion looked…too familiar. _Way_ too familiar. Marco had to palm his face and take a deep breath to remain focused. There was no time for flashbacks, no time to reflect on the pain.

It was time to go to work.

* * *

Upstairs, Alexandra continued chatting up Julian in one of his private bedrooms. On the inside, she grimaced. She knew where this was going, and she didn't have a choice but to grin and bear what was to come. The balcony door was wide open, and she leaned against the banister that had a view most would have to travel to see. She held a half full margarita glass in her hand, cautiously sipping upon the contents as she spoke.

"Persuin' a degree in business, huh? That's good, to work towards somethin' even though you've got everythin'." She keeps that beautiful smile on her face that drew in Julian to begin with. At this rate, her cheeks were going to be forever stuck this way.

"Well, not _everything_." Julian downs his own glass of whiskey with a grimace, the burn of the alcohol being felt as he swallowed. "I can have all the money at my disposal…but it doesn't mean much if I don't have someone by my side. It sucks being only twenty-three and I don't even have a girlfriend…until tonight."

"…Pardon?"

_This kid's outta his fuckin' mind._

_Hold on, Commander. Working my way through this hidden security system I found on the main floor. I know it sucks, but keep it going. Please._

She inwardly sighs and continues keeping up the act. It was her job to make sure this went smoothly, to put herself in the line of fire so they could all walk away at the end of it all. She bites the inside of her mouth as she waited for Julian to continue his forthcoming monologue. It was taking all her willpower to _not_ knock him out in one punch.

She didn't feel like dealing with Leon and David breathing down her neck for doing it, either.

"I'm never the one who goes looking for a girlfriend, Ava. Women flock to me. I don't have to ask for anything. I can just snap my fingers—" He snaps his fingers for added effect, "—And that's all she wrote. I can have a girl on my arm just like that…but you're different from the rest of them."

"Still tryin' to flatter me, Julian?" Alexandra kept her cool even as he crept closer with every step. The night felt muggy to her. She felt moisture in the air and sticking to her skin. It made her want to peel out of the pure white evening gown and into something more comfortable. She feigned surprise when he grabbed her wrist and forced her to be flush against his body. Even though he felt like he had the advantage, she still towered above him with her heels on. This was almost comical. "H-Huh?"

"If you'll let me, I would like for _you_ to be by my side. My beautiful white rose…I'd like nothing better."

He places his glass of whiskey down on the glass table outside on the balcony where they were, and his now free hand was resting on the small of her back and snaking lower. Her body shivered in response, forcing herself not to choose fight over flight in this situation. God, it was tempting to just put the poor creep in the ground right here and now.

"As temptin' an offer as that is…I'm afraid I'll have to pass." She attempted to walk backwards out of his grip, but he only tightened it in response. "Julian…please."

"Just think about it…I know you have more experience than just bartending. You're too pretty to be a one trick pony." His hand continued to trail. "No man's strong enough to handle you…that's what you're thinking, huh?"

"W-What? You've gotta be mistaken. I'm—ah!" Her eyes widened and Julian pressed his lips against hers. She felt his teeth collide with hers unceremoniously. He couldn't kiss worth a damn. He tasted like liquid regret and god knows what else. She wanted him to stop, she wanted him to just piss off and never see him again. Her right palm came to rest against her hip, where his palm had been creeping at. He wasn't far from grabbing her ass, and the gloves would be off if he tested the rippling waters more than he already has. Then, she remembered.

Leon's compact taser.

It was still strapped on her right thigh.

_Cracked the code, Commander. Needs a fingerprint of some sort. Standing by._

…_On my way._

As soon as Marco had told her that he had made adequate progress, the façade had dropped. Ava was no more, and Alexandra was back on the forefront. She quickly reached down under her dress and pulled out the taser, turning on and shocking Julian within an inch of his life. He convulsed slightly and crumbled onto the ground, out like a light. She scoffs as she straightens out her ensemble and holsters it back. Looking to her right, she sees the whiskey glass that Julian held in his hand prior to his attempted advance. Grabbing it carefully around the bottom rim, she chucks the contents within over the balcony and exits the room.

"Tough luck, kid. Ava sends her regards…and politely declines your offer."

By the time she descends the unsettlingly familiar staircase, Marco is already waiting on her. "Run into any real problems up there?" He asks.

"The usual ones. Where's Kennedy?"

"I'll send him a quick text. All security has been disabled, but there's a place that requires a fingerprint. I'm assuming you have a sample?"

"Hopefully Julian's the one we need. I'd hate to waste time searchin'."

Marco quickly sends a text to Leon, and within moments he enters the mansion. He looks Alexandra up and down. He was most likely inspecting her for any anomalies or injuries. Did he really expect Julian to put a scratch on her?

At least he scores well for empathy.

"…Take a pic, Leon. It'll last longer."

"Pardon me for caring. I was biting my nails down to the nub outside. Thought you two decided to say, 'Fuck me, I guess!' and keep going."

"We could've. Trust me." Alexandra's smile was bitter this time. "I'd rather stick to the mission, and you're a part of it."

"Feeling the love." He adjusts his jacket and gloves with a sigh. "So, where's this scanner?"

"Well, when I disabled all the security, there was another sector covered by Anti-BOW security." Marco points past them, towards the left wall where a set of double doors were. Next to it was a fingerprint scanner. "The power to it turned on suddenly. Odd thing for a mansion to have if you're a normal person."

"Stay on your toes, both of you."

She approaches the door in question, placing Julian's glass on the scanner fingerprint side down gingerly. The green line catches the fingerprint fully and…the double door's lock clicked. It opened. All three of them remained apprehensive as Alexandra opens the doors. What was before them was a metallic staircase and darkness. Whatever lurked below couldn't be good.

"Hope someone has a flashlight…'cause I couldn't bring one."

"I got one." Leon reaches into his left pocket and pulls out a flashlight. The staircase seemed to stretch on forever. The further they descended, the colder it felt. The lights turned on, and in front of them was a door and a security room on the left side. Alexandra stopped in her tracks, holding out her hands for them to follow suit. "What's wrong?"

"…There's a weapons scanner up ahead," She says. "I'm not gonna say drop your weapons, if you're carryin' any. But I don't wanna set it off, either."

"We may not have a choice, Commander." Marco speaks finally. "I can't get a connection down here wirelessly. I need an ethernet cable that can plug me into the system. This place operates differently from the rest of the mansion, much to no one's surprise."

"…I was afraid of you sayin' that." Alexandra sighs and removes the taser on her right thigh. She turns around to give it to Leon, who was giving her a stern look for her to keep it on. She refused, almost shoving it into his chest as she crossed the threshold for the scanner. At first, nothing happened. But, after a few moments…

The alarm does trigger. The automated doors shut immediately and the door to the control room was unlocked and slid open. The ventilation system started to leak out a greenish looking gas, and both Alexandra and Marco were feeling the effects of it slowly. Leon was unaffected.

"_WARNING: BOWs detected. Level: ten. Classification: Tyrant. Administering P-Epsilon gas…please wait for neutralization confirmation…"_

"Shit!" Leon runs into the now open control room and looks around for something to turn off the alarm. On the scanner, it blinked red just like the rest of the room. A recurring warning of BOW detection and a render of a Tyrant outline along with its name blinked across all the screens in the room, including the scanner screen itself. He had to hurry, or else he would be carrying out two Tyrants on his back.

He'd rather not do that.

"Dammit, where's the off switch on this thing!?"

"Look for a monitor…somethin'…!" Alexandra was coughing, and so was Marco. She wasn't down on her knees, but rather using the wall for support as she tried to make her way out of the P-Epsilon gas and somewhere easier to breathe. She held Marco around his waist and was carrying him while keeping his jacket he had shrugged off around her nose and mouth to block out the gas as much as possible. She attempted to give it back, but he pushed her hand away and forced hers back over her mouth.

"Just…keep it. I'll be fine," He said. "You need it…more than I do."

"We…_both_ need it. We're the…same."

"Got it!" After a few buttons pressed on the far back monitor, the lockdown is aborted, and the red lights now turn blindingly white. Leon returned to both of their sides, reaching into the pouch he attached on one of the belt loops of his jeans. "Need a T-Stimulant?"

"Give it to Marco…he breathed in a helluva lot more than I did. I'll…walk this shit off."

The jacket had done little to keep the P-Epsilon gas out of her body, but Leon does as he's told. Arguing with her would literally lead to nowhere. Marco just accepts T-Stimulant as he was ordered, and it takes a few seconds before he feels the effects and he was back to himself. Alexandra struggles at first to get herself back to a vertical base, but she manages. Still apprehensive about her condition, Leon leads the way this time. They all trek slow for her sake.

"You sure you don't need one, Alexandra?" He asks.

"I'm sure," She says all too quickly, coughing slightly. "Just…keep goin'."

They go through the opposite automated door that was previously locked down, and the only thing that awaited them was a long and winding corridor with yet another door at the end. The trio wanted to sigh and turn around, but there was something waiting for them at the end. There was unmistakable evidence that there were BOWs being housed here, but they need to know specifics.

If they were going to send a cleanup crew, they needed to know what to defend against.

The corridor was unremarkable. Their shoes being the only noise that echoed off its walls, it created a feeling of suspense that they didn't feel comfortable with. Marco silently walked over to his Commander and allowed her to use his body for support. Leon knew he was in the dark here, but this was just plain ridiculous. Again, there were no words spoken. Actions between them just…happened.

How?

"How is everything you guys do seamless?" He finally asked, stopping right in front of the door before them. "There's no words, no anything. You just _know_, and you execute."

"Brennan…didn't tell you on that lil' Skype call you two had?" Alexandra exhaled, then stood up as straight as her current condition would allow. "It's 'cause of a phenomenon called…Tyrant Resonance."

"Resonance? But…how?"

"I dunno, ask the makers of the T-Virus…if they're still kickin', that is. We're just reapin' the benefits."

There was so much Leon wanted to ask. There's so much he didn't know. He knew the meaning of resonance of course, but he wanted to hear the explanation in full. He still wanted to know how they came to be. Alexandra refused to budge on that. The card in his pocket that she gave him seemed to be the only way he could get through those impregnable walls she built around herself. He was willing to do it. The door automatically opened, and the lights turned on within. Leon reaches into his jacket once more, pulling out his trusted combat knife. The compact taser was strapped to his left leg, but that was to be given back to Alexandra eventually. He takes point, scanning around.

There were stasis tanks, and every single one had something in it. A piece of a BOW, or a whole one being cultivated. The species from first glance couldn't be determined. In the wall, there were small patches of parasites squirming around in secure containment units. Leon moves closer to inspect, while Marco begins to record the entire room. The tanks, the containers, the monitors…everything.

"…Looks like the parasite you reported that was within you back a couple of years ago." Alexandra limps her way over to Leon, sharply inhaling and exhaling. "Who knew this shit was bein' cultivated so close to home?"

"…Yeah." He bit the inside of his cheek in frustration, the need to crush these squirming monsters underfoot was more overwhelming than he had thought. It had caused his mission in Spain to be more complicated than it had to be. The worst part was the lives he had to take in order to fulfill said mission. He couldn't save any of villagers, let alone himself for the most part. The most merciful thing he could've done _was_ kill them, and that did nothing to soothe his conscience. If it wasn't for Ada and those pills, he would have joined them for sure.

A part of him believed that's what he deserved for failing so many people.

"I'd rather not keep looking at them for too long," He said, rubbing at his arm. "They make my skin crawl."

"I understand. Marco, you finished recordin'?"

"For the most part. Let me see what's in these computers…" He reaches into his back-right pocket and pulls out a USB drive and inserts it into one of the system's monitors that were up and running. With a few button presses, A menu pops up along with a percentage. After a few moments, the download was complete, and he removes it from the monitor. "We've got what we came for. Let's go before Julian gets up from his nap."

They all turn to leave, but the effects of the P-Epsilon gas were beginning to catch up with Alexandra. She staggers, her hands resting on her thighs as she tried to fight against the encroaching exhaustion. Marco's moving towards her, picking her up and carrying her bridal style now. She should've just taken the T-Suppressant, but they both knew she would refuse.

"No point in wastin' resources…job's done…"

"…Not the point, Alexandra." Leon believed her hardheadedness would come back to bite her, but not this night it seemed. The trek back to the outside is uneventful, and even luckier for them that Julian was still knocked out cold. Marco carried her all the way back to the car and placed her in the back on her side. She was fighting the fatigue still. He expected no less from someone he had great respect for. Leon sat in the driver's seat, starting the ignition of the car and putting the gear shift in drive. "So…where to now?"

"Back home." Marco enters the passenger side and locks the car door after. He reaches into the glove compartment and pulls out a GPS and magnetic stand. He turns it on and plugs in an address before pressing it into the stand and turning it in Leon's direction. "She can't go back to Howler in her condition. She's too weak and she won't accept a T-Stim. Best to take her back."

"…Her home, huh?" He pulls away from the curb and follows the GPS' instructions. "All the way in Bel Air, Maryland? The other side of the goddamn state. In rich man's territory."

"At least there's no traffic on I-95 this late. It should take about an hour to get there."

"I'll take your word for it."

No more words were exchanged for the most part. Marco periodically checks on Alexandra in the back seats, and Leon glanced back whenever he stopped at a red light. About an hour later, they do arrive at their intended destination. As soon as they pulled up to the gate, it automatically opened and allowed them entry. Leon drove as much as the gravel would allow, until he came to stop at the front door of a mansion. It was huge It had outdoor lights that stretched back towards the entrance gate. There was a camera hidden in a blind spot of the house that was pointed at the front door. There were flower bushes lining the outside area. He couldn't see much else because it was still dark. Dawn still had a few hours before it broke.

Marco exits the car as soon as it comes to a complete halt, walking up to the front door and unlocking it. He steps inside briefly, turning on the lights and disarming the security system. He returns to the outside and collects Alexandra in his arms.

"You too. There's plenty of room in this mansion for you."

Leon swallowed thickly, snapping back into focus. He just wanted to rest. He had a headache and his mouth was dry. He turns off the engine, placing the keys back in his pocket and joining them inside. He didn't care about the interior, although the first thing he walked upon was dark marble flooring. The walls looked to be made of neutral colored stone. Great for the winter months, at least.

"There's several vacant rooms. Pick the one you want upstairs after I get Alexandra in hers."

Leon watches as Marco carries Alexandra's limp body up the large staircase and takes a left down a corridor. He reaches into his pants pocket, pulling out his phone. It was 2 AM. That was it? It honestly felt like it was later to him, though at this point, he wasn't sure about anything anymore. He wants to know more about these people. He wants to take a long hot shower and honestly forget what he saw. He follows behind them a short time later rather sluggishly. He takes a few steps down the corridor, opening the closest door to him and purposefully ignores the open-door diagonal from it. A look of disbelief is all over his face once he steps inside.

This room was _huge._

"…Holy shit." He flips the light switch and shuts the door behind him. There's no real shortage of foliage, and most of it was placed near the large balcony doors and outside of it. The floors were made from compressed dark wood and polished to perfection. Leon sighs and sits down on the bed. This wasn't made from springs, because he didn't hear a creak when he let his full weight down. There was a vanity across from the bed at the foot, and he had his own private bathroom. At least he wouldn't want for privacy. He gets up and walks into the bathroom, disrobing himself and staring in the mirror at his naked upper half.

He had his own collection of scars, apparently. One on his right cheek from a scuffle with Krauser that ended in his demise two years back, and another in the area where his left shoulder and torso met from when he dove in front of Ada like a hopeful hero and paid the price back in Raccoon City. The rest were from miscellaneous brush ins with death and the monsters that specialized in handing it out. Just another job.

Just another day in the life of Leon Scott Kennedy: The Government's Personal Lapdog.

As if he had a choice to begin with. And now he must pull and tug on a leash of a woman who, like three others, are the most feared bioweapons under the radar. The mental image it painted was almost comical, though he couldn't bring himself to laugh. He must've looked strong, but he was anything but. He's just a man caught in the gaze of predators.

And who knows when they'll decide to feast on him.

They look like normal people and act like normal people…but they weren't.

Leon turns on the hot water in the shower and steps in under the spray. His head rests against the marble finishing with a sigh. What was he to do? What was he to say to himself? He accepted this position. He didn't have to. So why did he? Did he feel sympathy for Alexandra? Was he drawn to her in some fashion? The possibilities made his head swim.

He wants to know. He _needs_ to know.

And all he must do is fill out a goddamn card for a nightclub attraction.

"…I need a drink."


	5. Part 1 Chapter 5: Calm Before The Storm

_**Chapter 5: The Calm Before The Storm.**_

* * *

About two hours later, Alexandra stirs from her forced slumber. The last thing she remembered happening was her being placed in the back of the car by Marco. After that, everything was one big blur. She sits up slowly, swinging her legs around off the bed so she could stand. Her white and gold heels were taken off and placed next to the nightstand. A dark red silken nightgown was folded nicely on the other side of her bed towards her bathroom. Kudos to Marco, if it was him. Silk's a bitch to fold correctly. She stands up, unzipping the gown from the back and letting it pool down by her ankles. She then picks it up, carrying it to her walk-in closet and placing it on a hanger. She'll have to get it dry cleaned and then returned to Sarah.

It served its purpose.

The lingerie was next. She gathers up the nightgown and enters the bathroom, turning on the lights. The lingering scent of roses within is strong, but it's a welcome smell compared to the acrid scent of alcohol she had unfortunately gotten used to. She disrobes from the rest of her ensemble and turns on the shower, putting on a shower cap before stepping under the hot spray. She inhales and exhales, letting the hot water do its work of temporarily relieving her mounting stress. In here, she could forget the outside.

She could forget reality.

Though, she was slightly worried for Leon. His system was rattled when they discovered Las Plagas in those containers under Julian's mansion. She wanted to check on him. The look that he had in his eyes was one she was all too used to seeing from survivors of biohazard outbreaks. His seemed to be much worse. She wouldn't doubt it if he slept with a knife and gun under his pillow. She wouldn't blame him, but she wanted to make sure of his wellbeing.

He wouldn't be much use in the field…or anywhere, really.

Alexandra turns off the water, staring down at the drain momentarily before stepping outside the shower itself and grabbing the towel from the stack she had placed in the bathroom the morning prior. She refrains from staring too long at herself in the mirror as she dries herself off and slips on the nightgown. She sighs, steeling herself for whatever was to come.

"…I gotta bad feeling about this."

She exits the room, moving towards the door diagonal from hers. Her hand rests on the doorknob, slightly hesitating. She's not one to interrupt someone if they're sleep unless it was necessary or out of payback. But she was worried, and she couldn't go back to sleep herself while Leon's wellbeing was thrown into question. He was a part of their unit now, and how he felt mattered. She turns the knob and steps inside, quietly.

What she saw…wasn't far off the mark of what she expected.

Leon was curled in on himself, groaning. His head was still on the pillow at least, but the comforter was hanging halfway off the bed. Alexandra moved closer. He twitched slightly, curling in further. She stops just before the bed, his condition becoming that much more noticeable up close. He had a sheen of sweat all over his body, and his hair was stuck to his face. He had to be having a nightmare, and she was afraid to wake him. But she had to.

She'd rather him swing on her than anyone else in this place.

"Leon…wake up." She nudges him gently. "Nothing's comin' after y—"

The movement was so sudden from him. His hand was under the pillow his head rested upon, and out swung a combat knife. Alexandra hated that her hunch was correct. She leans back to let the blade fly, and it did. It gave her a moment to look at his face. Leon's eyes were half open, and his teeth were grit together. He looked like he was fighting. Surviving another hell that was generated by his own mind. He was his own worst enemy, and there wasn't anything he could do about it.

He came at her again, growling and charging forward. Alexandra bit the inside of her mouth and stepped backward. The knife was out in front of him with the intention to stab, and she had to do something about it. That was the most dangerous item in play, mostly for him. When he got within her range again, she slaps him in his wrist and makes his hand go completely limp. Leon collides roughly with her chest and she holds him there. He twisted and squirmed, grunted and growled. The knife ended up falling from his hand with a slight clang on the dark hardwood floor. A few moments later, and he does stop. His breathing is labored, but he wasn't hostile anymore. That's what mattered.

"Nothing's after you Leon. It's okay." Alexandra's voice wasn't abrasive nor apprehensive. Instead, it sounded gentle. Like the calm of a storm that had just weathered, a soothing strum of a string instrument playing in the rain. But her sweet sounding voice wasn't going to be enough to get him to focus. "Hey…focus on smellin' somethin' first. What can you smell?"

The room was silent, besides the sound of Leon's ragged breathing in her chest. He needed time to gather his bearings, and the best way to do it was for him to focus on things his senses could attach to in order to root himself back into reality. Eventually, he does answer.

"…R-Roses." It's muffled and slightly gravelly, but she could understand it. "Rosewater…?"

"Yeah." That's one. "Can y'hear me good? Nod for yes."

His answer took some time, but he nods into her chest. Two for two. She mentally cheers herself and continues.

"Good…good." Alexandra moves backwards more, letting her back hit the wall of the bedroom and slowly slinking onto the floor with him still in her arms. She didn't care about his face practically being smushed between her breasts, because he didn't seem to have any strength to move now. He was just a limp piece of flesh and bone in a Tyrant's grip. "Can you look up at me? Can you look at anythin' right now?"

Again, it takes him some time. She feels Leon use the wall behind her to prop himself up to where he was level with her face. His eyes lock with hers. His blue eyes are narrowed, but focused. She gives him an approving nod when he holds the gaze for more than three seconds.

"Three for three." Alexandra sighs in relief. "I don't gotta ask you to touch anythin', do I?"

"…My face was in a lovely place before. I think that's enough." He gives her a crooked smirk. She simply scowls. "Jokes aside, I…didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No. You could've hurt yourself with that hidden knife of yours." She pointed behind him at the weapon in question. "Had to slap it outta your hand so you wouldn't stab me. Wouldn't have hurt me, but the point still stands."

Leon turns around slowly to stare at the knife. He sighs heavily, dragging himself to pick it up and tossed it on the bed. His nightmares have always been like this. For almost eight years now, he's been suffering like this. Some nights are better than others, some not. He's never had anyone there to pull himself out of the mania that couples with him waking from the horror. He usually held himself and practiced breathing exorcises he learned or overindulged in alcohol until he couldn't feel anything anymore and passed out on the nearest piece of furniture until the morning came. Having Alexandra here to pull him out of his own head this time made him think a bit more clearly. He didn't have an urge to look for alcohol…

For once.

"Shit I'm sorry, Alex. I…didn't mean for that to happen."

She had never heard him shorten her name before. That was strange for her to hear. "…Nightmares and night terrors happen. With what we've been through, we're lucky that's all we get. Our fight's neverendin'. This is one of the many side effects of it."

Leon gets up and sets himself back on the side of the bed, rubbing at his face with a groan. He felt guilty for lashing out like that, but what could he do? He didn't even remember it. His head turns to face her when she joins him.

"…You're keeping me company now?" He asks. "In that blood red nightgown? You looked like you killed someone and ripped it indecently."

"Oh, don't fuckin' complain." She scowls again, turning her head. "I could've come in here naked instead. I wouldn't have checked on your if I didn't care. You're a part of this unit now, Kennedy. You matter."

"Just call me Leon. Don't be so formal," He corrects, sighing and stretching his back. "It's weird…but thank you. That means…more than I'm willing to admit."

"…We all need someone to pull us out of our own heads in times like these." She sighs and rubs his shoulder. "You can go back to sleep. I'm gonna…head back to my room or somethin'."

"What time is it, anyway?" Leon turns his head to examine the clock. Five thirty in the morning? "Five thirty, huh? What the hell…"

"You can still go back to bed. Today's an off day for us, so take it easy." She gets up to go back to her room, but she is stopped. She looks behind her to see Leon holding onto her hand. "…What?"

"Just…stay for a bit. You don't have anything to do today, right? Your presence is…comforting to me."

Alexandra didn't know what to say to that. A lot of people felt threatened when she showed up. Small and insignificant whenever she was around. She was a woman with a dominating presence. She honestly missed when she was just her normal height and not a skyscraper of a monster. To have him _asking_ for her to stay was something she never thought she would hear from another person's lips.

Especially from her own Overlord.

"Alright, fine." What did she have to lose? Nothing, really. She sits back down next to him. "…You're a clingy man."

"Maybe." Leon pulls the comforter back onto the bed, wrapping himself in it. "Wanna share?"

"You better. My ass is out, here."

"Whose fault is that?" He gives her the other half and she crawls to the other side of the bed, wrapping herself in it. He scoffs to himself and lays in the spot where he was previously. "See you in a couple of hours…maybe."

"I'll see you in six. Possibly."

* * *

By the time the sun breaks over the horizon, The Four Horsemen were already up and at it. The mansion was about as unsuspecting as any other in this lovely neighborhood, and they liked to keep it that way. Below the mansion itself was a training area specifically meant for their use. It has the same uses and outfitted with the same mechanisms as the physical assessment rooms at their headquarters in Washington DC. It's become part of their daily routine to train vigorously, a habit that was relentlessly beaten into them both literally and figuratively.

Right now, it was occupied by two of them.

"C'mon Zero." Jacob beckons to him with one finger, his body steeled in a fighting stance. "Don't get all soft on me. Sis'll tear us to shreds."

"Me, soft?" Zero almost felt offended as he entered Jacob's personal space. He brings his knee up to viciously collide with his face, connecting with a small burst of blood from the other's nose. There's a smirk on his striking features as his body went through the recovery motions of the attack and he came to a stop and at a vertical base. "That might be _you_, Jacob. Eyes on your objective. Always."

He's palming his nose now, dripping blood onto the pure white tile of the training area floor. A chuckle comes forth as he works his nasal bone and grimaces. He wipes what blood pearled at his nostrils and assumed his fighting stance once more.

That was child's play.

"That all y'got, man? Hit harder, please. Don't make me beg."

"What a glutton for punishment. Wouldn't be wrong to call you a masochist, would I?"

"You'd do it anyway, wouldn't ya?"

"Hey." Marco walks into the training room, knocking gingerly against the wall to gain both Zero and Jacob's attention. "Brennan's calling and Alex wants us all to assemble."

"Already?" Jacob sighs. "It's not even noon yet."

"Commander's orders. If we had it our way, we'd probably leave him on read for today…"

Upstairs, both Alexandra and Leon were standing in front of a large monitor. David's voice was being broadcasted through the intercoms set up on the main floor.

"_We have new findings about Julian Windsor and his whereabouts after last night,"_ David began. _"Early this morning, he abruptly left his mansion and traveled west. His last known location from where we tracked him to was Asheville, North Carolina, near the Black and Great Smoky Mountains. We don't know why he's going there but based off the report sent by you all, it'll be best to send a small unit to investigate. The small unit will be you and Overlord Kennedy."_

"More data for your pet project?" Alexandra rolls her eyes. "Whatever…there goes our day off. When do you want us to head out?"

"_As soon as possible. We can't lose this trail. Understood?"_

"Alright. Fine. I'll go get—"

"_Wait._" David halts her before she could march up the stairs. _"Both of you come to the base before you go. We have to give you the approved weaponry and outfit you properly."_

As a response Alexandra just shrugged, and the monitor switched off. She walks upstairs to get ready, leaving Leon in silence. He lets out a heavy sigh and slumps on the couch in the living room. "…Something doesn't feel right."

"About the mission?" Zero asks nonchalantly, walking into the kitchen. "It's sudden, yeah. You've worked with worse, haven't you?"

"Yeah…should've known better that things wouldn't be so clear cut, even with working with you guys."

"Now y'know our pain." Jacob pats Leon's shoulder affectionately. The power behind the simple patting was slightly painful. "We seem to be grounded…that's always fun. It's just you two for the meantime, yeah?"

"For now. We'll get it done." He stands up from the couch and heads upstairs. If things were already proceeding so quickly, then these guys were impeccable workers, or something just took a turn for the worse.

Knowing his own luck, it was probably the latter.

* * *

The drive back to DC was relatively quiet with the occasional banter. Alexandra drove this time, something Leon hadn't really gotten a chance to experience until now. She was somewhat of a speed demon, but it wasn't anything too alarming. He almost laughed when he realized how much she had to adjust the driver's seat because she was that tall. She wasn't even wearing heels this time. It put things into perspective for him.

Both were dressed casually, with Alexandra's ensemble being a pair of black distressed jeans and combat boots and a tank top and open button-down shirt set that were white and red, respectively. Leon wore dark wash jeans, work boots and a dark blue tee with his classic black leather jacket. They were both inconspicuous and could easily blend in with the crowd.

"Do you have an alias you can use for this if need be?" She asked.

"What for?"

She gives him a confused look without removing her eyes from the road. "Whaddya mean, 'what for'? Julian's seen your face before, but he doesn't know your name. Same with me. I'd like for us to keep it that way, so things aren't complicated. Better put your thinkin' cap on while you can."

"…Your alias' last name is Reid, right?" Leon rests his head against the passenger window, staring outward.

"…Yeah, why?" Her tone was apprehensive to what he was about to imply.

"I'll be Maven Reid. Your government working husband."

She knew this was coming, yet she wanted to tell him to go with something else. They could be longtime friends. They could be cousins through a family member's marriage. But husband and wife? Begrudgingly, she had to agree with his decision. It was the only thing that made sense regarding everything now. He couldn't leave her alone, and neither could she. It was the only thing that could keep them bound to each other on the field without raising any eyebrows among those unsuspecting.

"Maven and Ava Reid…I'd say choose somethin' else, but it fits with our predicament. Brennan'll finalize it…probably."

She pulls into USSTRATCOM building's garage, parking in the nearest space and entering. She enters the code on the elevator and waits. The elevator clangs as it detaches, reattaches and descends. There was no waiting this time for the shutters at the end of the corridor to open. They were expected to show, after all. They immediately head up to David's office.

"Alright, we're here. Do what you gotta."

On the edge of David's desk was an attaché case. Alexandra flipped the locks open and its contents were several things. Two handguns with two magazine clips each, and a taser gun with cartridges for refilling. She picks up one of the handguns, handing it off to Leon after she inspects it.

"Is there something wrong with this one?" He asked, inspecting the weapon himself.

"It wasn't mine." She picks up the other handgun in the case. "My weapons are specially made 'cause if I use too much force, I'll crush normal guns like flimsy aluminum."

…_What the hell?_

They didn't tell him about that little tidbit. Again, he felt like he was feeling around in the dark. He had half a mind to slam his hands on the desk and demand things start making sense, but he didn't. They had their mission, and they needed to complete it before the window of opportunity closed on them. He grabs one of the holsters in the case and straps it to his right thigh. The taser gun and cartridges were tucked away in his leather jacket.

"Another thing I _didn't_ know. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're withholding stuff from me on purpose."

"No time to argue about it now. We got our mission."

"There's a car ready for your use," David said, stepping from behind his desk and tossing to Alexandra a set of keys. "And Desmond said take care of those guns. He made those special."

"Send 'im my regards. He knows how much we love his handiwork."

"Also…you'll have another person joining you for this mission. They'll be your extra set of eyes and ears. Overlord Kennedy's already quite acquainted."

Their monitors vibrated and pinged. With curiosity, they withdraw them from their pockets. Leon's eyes widened as the face appeared on the screen in its own window.

"…Hunnigan?" Leon quizzed.

"This is the first time I've heard of something like this happening," Hunnigan began. She seemed to be just as confused as he was. "Just goes to show you not everything is as it seems. But, my job's the same as always. I'll be providing support as necessary."

Alexandra decided to go with the flow. Why was a third Field Operations Agent being introduced into the fray? Now she had some questions of her own to ask. Her eyes focused back on the monitor when Hunnigan begins to introduce herself to her.

"You must be Alexandra Henderson," She said. She gave her a warm smile. Was it forced? She didn't care to know. "I'm Ingrid Hunnigan. No need to repeat, but I'll provide support for you as well if you require it."

"My thanks." Alexandra gives her own smile and puts the monitor back in her pocket. She was ready to go. "Introductions aside, let's go before we lose daylight. Trails like this don't stay warm for long."

"Right behind you."

She turns on her heel and exits the room. When they reach the garage, there's already a car pulled up near the elevator for them to use. It was a smallish car, like the ones typical Americans drive nowadays. Alexandra tosses Leon the keys after unlocking the car itself.

"Not driving this time?" He asks.

"I drove here," She responds. "Your turn. You look like you drive nicely."

"You have _no _idea." There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice, which makes her scoff in response. He enters the driver's side and starts up the ignition. "Something tells me that there's more waiting there for us than the National Parks."

"You wouldn't be wrong." She simply shrugs. "Wouldn't be the first time for us, now would it?"

"Tch. Of course not." He puts the car in drive, gets approval to leave the garage and rides off onto the main road.


	6. Part 1 Chapter 6: Stormy Horizons

_**Chapter 6: Stormy Horizons.**_

* * *

The inside of Sophie's examination room is quiet as she examines her next patient. A young woman with short blonde hair and baby blue eyes. She sat calmly on the edge of the examination table, dressed in an examination gown and swinging her legs gently as she waited for the results. Sophie was reviewing the information on her clipboard with a smile.

"DNA integrity is at one hundred percent, no further mutations found, G-Virus antibodies are stable…all green across the board. You've been doing well, Sherry. I'm glad."

"Thank you, doctor." Sherry released the breath she never knew she was holding. "Does this mean I can finally do the physical assessment test today?"

"You don't _have_ to," Sophie corrected. "As you aren't an agent, your physical capabilities don't have to be tested. Just your overall wellbeing. But if you're worried about your physical limitations, we can test your strength capabilities at the least."

"I don't…need Simmons' permission for this, do I?"

Sophie shakes her head and frowns. "This is strictly confidential. This is about _you_ Sherry, not him. Do you wish to proceed?"

_Thank goodness for patient and doctor confidentiality,_ Sherry thought to herself as she hopped off the table. Not even Simmons could circumvent that, nor would Sophie let him try. She was steeling herself for what was possibly her boldest attempt at training so far. She nods to Sophie to reaffirm her.

"Okay. Follow me." Walking up to one of the assessment rooms, Sophie holds up her badge to the scanner next to the door. It instantaneously unlocked as soon as it scanned it fully. The lights turn on within and she's heading up to the control room while Sherry stayed on the main floor and mentally prepared herself for what was to come. "From up here, I can adjust the difficulty of the physical assessment test itself. Let me know when you're ready to begin, okay?"

"Okay…"

The room was quiet for a few moments as Sophie worked. Then, the lights of the assessment room turned red and a loud buzzing sound is heard. She sighed, pressing a few buttons and beginning once more.

"_WARNING: Current combatant biosignature does not match for this physical assessment. Please select another trial."_

"Goddammit." Sophie turns on the intercom so she could talk to Sherry down below. "It won't let me administer the regular physical assessment test on you."

"Why not?" Sherry asked.

"Probably because these assessments were made specifically for the Four Horsemen. Anyone who doesn't match their biosignatures are banned from attempting. Hold on, I'll make one."

Sherry shuffles her feet as she waits. A loud blip echoes throughout the physical assessment room a short time later. Internally, she's hoping that means something good. A confirmation sound is heard and she hears the intercom click on once more.

"Looks like I got it to work," Sophie says with an accompanying sigh of relief soon after. "It'll begin shortly. Are you ready?"

"Yes." Sherry readied herself in a fighting stance as the assessment system began to talk.

"_Commencing with custom trial. Time limit is two minutes. Ready, set…"_

Sherry closed her eyes, hands balling into fists. She had to do this. She _needed_ to prove to herself that she could hold her own. She wanted to make a difference, to save people like Claire and Leon saved her. She'll bleed, sweat and cry if that's what needs to be done to take that first step. But…she couldn't do it under Simmons' thumb. She's been taking from her environment more than what he's been noticing. Because of her body adjusting and adapting to the G-Virus, she was technically categorized as what the Four Horsemen are.

A Tyrant.

She's determined to prove her worth as such. That she can exist in the same world as them. That she now has the strength to protect what is dear to her.

"_Begin."_

* * *

The journey to Asheville, North Carolina was somewhat quiet. Leon would attempt to joke and Alexandra barely reciprocated. She would absently stare out of the window in contemplation, and about what was anyone's guess. He made an internal comment about her being somewhat of an ice queen, though he expected it from her. Her life hasn't been the greatest, and he was able to make choices for her that most people couldn't bring themselves to do or would exploit in their favor.

He just wished her silver tongue didn't leave a festering wound.

"Is there _anything_ you wanna do to pass the time faster?" His eyes remained on the road as he posed his question.

"Besides gettin' this over with quickly? Nothin'." She responded quickly and continued to stare outside. It was safe to say that she didn't consider him _that_ close to just partake in simple banter yet. Leon's mind kept flickering back to that reward tracker card given to him by her last night. It seemed to be his only way to have a chance at getting to know her in some fashion. "We only got about fifteen more minutes before we hit the city. Won't be quiet after that."

"…I know." He lets out a heavy sigh. "Just thought I could get you to talk some."

"Fill out the card I gave you, _then_ y'might have a chance. For now, let's stay in mission mode. Dunno what we're gonna walk into and I gotta stay focused for both of us."

"Alright…I tried." Leon resigned for the meantime and kept his eyes firmly on the road. As soon as they entered the city of Asheville, he let out a breath that he never knew he was holding. They got here safely…but the town itself seemed empty. Too empty. It worried him. "Does it seem like things are too quiet around here, or am I just paranoid?"

"No, you're right…" Alexandra's eyes continued to survey what they could as Leon drove. There was no one at the local shops, no one walking on the sidewalks…there weren't any cars to be seen, either. This felt like an obvious setup. She palmed the custom handgun on her right thigh. "Be alert as you pull up to this mansion. I got a bad feelin'."

Leon shared her caution and continued to drive. The mansion in the near distance seemed to be the source of all the eeriness around them. As he approached the gate, he looked out of the driver's mirror out of habit. What he saw had his eyes widening in fear.

"Oh _shit!_"

Alexandra was already unbuckling herself and rushing towards Leon as a gas tanker truck drove towards them at a high speed. A tyrant she may be, but there was no way to stop that thing without putting Leon at risk. She pushes him back and uses herself as a shield as the tanker collides with the brick foundation and metal spokes of the gate. It bumped against their car, jostling it sideways as the tanker collided with it. Alexandra relaxes her body and sighs.

"Talk about a close call," Leon says as he checks his gear. "Come on, let's—"

"I'm smellin' a lotta gas." She couldn't even go over and check to see if there was a driver inside. The tanker began to leak gas and it spilled all over the street and she moved Leon back again. It wasn't enough to avoid the inevitable explosion, and they're both sent backwards. The blast sent Leon through the windshield of a parked car, rendering him unconscious upon impact. Alexandra lands gingerly on the gravel, slightly uprooting it and leaving a trail from the initial explosion to a little bit further from the car Leon had been thrown through. Her ears rang as she attempted to stand up fully on her feet and grab him from the now broken heap of a car. "Leon…Leon!"

The lack of response from him made her somewhat worried, but the sound of footsteps had her fully on edge. There were…two people approaching them slowly from behind the burning tanker, unfazed by the danger of it exploding for a second time. She holds Leon securely and begins to drag him away…then the tanker exploded behind them as soon as she turned. Alexandra falls flat on her face from the blast, and she unintentionally lets Leon go. Limp and unmoving, but still alive.

Goddammit.

She found herself unable to move. Out of all the things she's taken point blank, a simple exploding tanker truck is what does her in? She slowly looks over to Leon's unconscious form. They couldn't move and she knew it. Her head pounded and she could hear the footsteps behind her get closer. If she had any strength left, she would've tried to reach for her gun to defend herself.

But she didn't. She couldn't. Her vision was swimming and then went completely black.

* * *

Zero stares at the rosebushes he had just watered around the parameter of the mansion. The lawn itself was vibrantly green and symmetrical in terms of trimming and overall care. He cleaned the outside windows, while he asked Marco and Jacob to take care of the chores on the inside. Some would consider it odd for Adaptive Tyrants to do housework, but for them, it kept their minds occupied on some semblance of normality.

Unfortunately for him, his mind still wandered to how Alexandra and Leon were doing. It's been almost four hours since their last transmission. It was unlike her, even with someone in tow, to not give periodic updates. He carries the gardening and cleaning equipment towards the open garage and places them in their respective spots, then exits and locks it back. Zero removes his shoes at the front door, scraping off what dirt he could without it tracking. He'd clean them off later.

"Marco? Jacob?" He called out.

"Yeah?" Jacob popped his head out from around the corner. "Finished outside already?"

"Those rosebushes are all around the house and tedious to care for. The lawn's been trimmed…you don't have to worry about that for the meantime." He turns on the faucet and washes his hands thoroughly with soap. "Have you heard anything from Brennan or the Commander yet?"

"Nah…s'been quiet." Jacob started to look concerned. "Not like her to miss a transmission, 'specially since this is an easy mission."

"Which makes the silence on her end all the more deafening." Zero turns off the faucet with a sigh and dries his hands, then takes a seat at the counter in the kitchen. When he got like this, Marco and Jacob usually steered clear until he was ready to act upon whatever he had decided on. He was deep in thought…he's been like this since the entire "Overlord" concept was introduced to them. "…I'm worried, to say the least."

"I know. I can tell." Jacob joined in, sitting adjacent from him. "She can take care of herself, can't stress that enough…but she's my sis, and y'all's best friend. If she doesn't answer in the next hour, we'll go down there ourselves."

"…You two need to stay here." Zero ignored Jacob's stern look of disapproval. "There's a method to my reasoning. Honest."

"It damn well better be."

"If all of us try to go down to Asheville, do you know how fast the BSAA will be mobilized to retrieve us? I don't know about you, but I've noticed those guys are trigger happy as it is. I don't feel like getting shot at nor ruining my clothes."

Jacob grumbled, then concedes. He sighs, leaning forward to gingerly place his forehead on the marble finishing of the countertop. Even with their best intentions, the very people that police them wouldn't see it that way. It was an issue that would blow out of proportion if they all just left at once, so he understood Zero. When it came right down to it, he was better suited to handle this discreetly. He and Marco were good at lying too, if they needed to be. He lifts his head up to return his gaze.

"We're brothers, man. Family. Ain't nobody else gonna have our backs but us in this world…and I don't want my sis all alone out there. She's been through that once already."

"…We all remember it." Raccoon City weighed heavily on them. It weighed on all the survivors. The very people they worked for wanted to sweep it under the rug and they did for a time—through a nuclear missile that made that very city a memory. "Have you…ever thought about going back home, Jacob?"

"To the islands?" Jacob glanced down at his tribal tattoo, contemplating. He says something in another language and closes his eyes like he was praying. "…Won't happen for a long while. 'Sides, I got my own t'worry about. Gotta make sure they're safe an' all or sis'll have my head."

Zero chuckled, then stood up from where he was seated at the counter. "I'll go get changed. If Brennan calls after I leave…you both know what to do."

"Y'know it."

As he went towards the staircase to go upstairs, Marco had jumped down from the upper level to surprise him. He caught him mid jump, much to his displeasure. He frowned. Sometimes he hated Zero's awareness.

"Did you hear everything I told Jacob?"

"Yeah. You know we got you."

"Good." He placed him down gently and resumed his stride.

* * *

Sherry remained hunched over, trying desperately to catch her breath. The custom trial had announced its completion and the assessment room lights had returned to normal. Sophie was still upstairs, recording the data accordingly. Her lungs burned and her muscles screamed in irregular spasms, yet she was triumphant. As exhausted and sweaty as she was, nothing could damper her feeling of accomplishment right now.

"You did well, Sherry." Sophie's heels clicked with every step she took down the stairs. "Your prowess is actually better than what was previously hypothesized."

"So that's actually good…I hope."

"It is, but…are you sure about being an agent? It's dangerous yet necessary work with little reward."

"…Yes." Her resolve was still solid. She was no stranger to fear. Hell, she's lived with the feeling of it ever since she was young. Ever since her escape, she's always wanted to learn how to better herself for others. In her eyes, she can't see a better way to do so except for to dive headfirst into the fray. "I have to. I _need_ to. I've seen things that most can't comprehend, I just…I want to make up to Leon and Claire for saving my life. In any way I can."

Sophie understood where she was coming from. She idolized them both, especially Leon from the way she spoke. They were both professionals. It made sense for Sherry to follow in their footsteps, though the impression they left upon her was something that couldn't fully be explained through words alone. Either way, she was happy to see her in high spirits for once. She was growing up.

Though, there was one obstacle in the way…

"Simmons has direct involvement with USSTRATCOM, from what I've heard. But if you're still so adamant, then it's your choice. Just remember to uphold your beliefs…always. No matter what anyone says."

Sherry stands straight up again, and nods with a smile on her face. It soon dissipates in the wind as footsteps enter through the automated door of the room. Sophie's face became tense and she subtly moved next to her as they approached. She didn't like the smug look they wore.

"…Simmons." She forced a smile. She hated looking at him. He carried himself with poise and grace, and with an aura of arrogance. Like he couldn't be touched or told anything. It didn't help that he was a Senator, making him both judge and jury in one word. No man like him with such a selfish agenda should have such power, let alone play a part in the government…yet here he is. "Here to pick up Sherry, I presume?"

"Indeed," He responded. His voice made Sophie inwardly cringe. "I was wondering what was taking so long. There were no…anomalies during her visit, were there?"

"None worth noting, of course. If Miss Birkin wishes to divulge the details with you, then it's her decision."

"I see." He glances towards Sherry, who was heading back to Sophie's office. "…Where are the Horsemen? I half expected an insult or side-eye to be thrown my way from one of them. Especially the woman. What was her name again…?"

Sophie's brows furrowed together, feeling offended on Alexandra's behalf. "_Commander_ Henderson, Simmons. Their whereabouts are none of your concern. Your focus should be on USSTRATCOM and nowhere else."

"On the contrary Doctor, my focus is split between both now." Simmons stepped closer, looming over her. A dominance tactic, one Sophie didn't appreciate. To silently challenge him, she looked him dead in the eyes and refused to move backwards. His left brow twitched. "One of my agents was _assigned_ to one of them. A guinea pig for one of your Director's _wonderous_ concepts."

"I'm sure you know him well enough."

Sherry comes back, fully clothed now. She glances at them both and decides against speaking up amidst the tension. She's been aware of how narcissistic he could be, and _boy_ was it often. "…I'm dressed and ready to go now."

"Ah, good." That smirk on his face was almost begging to be wiped off. Sophie held firm to staying professional still. "We'll be leaving now. Until next time, Doctor. Send Agent Kennedy my regards, please."

Sophie kept her smile and waved until they both disappeared out of view. With a sigh of frustration, she returns to her office and shuts the door. What an insufferable man. She could tell in his tone that mentioning him to Leon would only stir animosity for a situation she knew nothing about and would like to stay out of. David hasn't given any updates about either of them since their mission started. She was getting worried.

She presses a few buttons on her landline phone and waits for someone to pick up on the other end.

* * *

Alexandra wakes up to the sound of falling rain. Her body felt like lead from her head to her toes. It was a struggle to even turn her head to take in her surroundings. When she sat up, the room spun. She didn't have any strength. She slowly filled with panic and stumbled herself to a stable surface once she stood up. Leaning over a vanity, she realizes that she wasn't outside anymore…nor in her original clothes. Forcing herself to look up at the mirror in front of her, she examined herself.

She was now in a dark red off-shoulder lace evening gown, with a small trail. Unfortunately, the chest area was once again too small. She huffed at that and started to limp her way to the private bathroom within the bedroom. She almost slipped and fell on her ass. She was wearing black stockings that stretched all the way to her thighs. They weren't ripped either, but she wanted to chuck the whole outfit out the window. Alexandra flips on the light switch for the bathroom and turns on the faucet, letting the water flow and fill the sink halfway before she turns it off. God, she looked awful. Her hair was poofy and overall disheveled, which annoyed her. She had no time to fix it, she had to find Leon so they could begin their investigation.

The coolness of the water she splashes on her face relaxed her momentarily, and she was able to take deep breaths. The rain continued to beat down against the window relentlessly. Well, the forecast did say rain. In her peripheral vision, she catches a glimpse of something metallic in the trash can. Curiosity makes her fish it out. The realization and sudden fear makes her throw it back in the trash where she found it.

No.

_No._

Her current status just complicated their entire mission, and they haven't even begun.

She had been suppressed.


	7. Part 1 Chapter 7: Unstoppable Enemy

_**Chapter 7: Unstoppable Enemy.**_

* * *

The fear caused her to tremble. It soaked its way into her bones and made her freeze. How could this have happened? Who did it? _Why_ did they do it? She didn't feel like she was in control of her body. Hell, it didn't even feel like hers. She felt trapped and suffocated where she stood. Alexandra gasped, turning her head towards the sound of the bedroom door opening. She fumbles for the bathroom door and shuts it, then locks it. Who else could be in here? She was in no condition to defend herself should she be put in that position. She could barely stand as it was.

The footsteps ventured in and they walked around the room ominously. She didn't fully recognize the footfalls, either. She's afraid. She hasn't been this afraid since Raccoon City. Right now, she's feeling like she never left. When the footfalls stopped, Alexandra held her breath in anticipation. She was almost certain that there was only one way out…

Then she wasn't. She glanced over at the window. It was pouring rain, and the ledge would most definitely be slippery. Still, it was better than standing in place while someone stood just on the other side of the bathroom door. She inches her way to the window, unlocking and opening it. She was met with a small gust of wind and rain. There was just enough room on the side of the mansion that she could shimmy along it. The smell of smoke still hung in the air from the now recently extinguished tanker just outside the property line. Slowly, she brings one leg forward to hang out of the window to get her footing.

"…Ava?"

She halted her movements. That sounded like Leon's voice. She wasn't going to check, either. She flinched when he knocked on the door. "Are you in there? It's your husband, Maven."

…_I don't trust your damn tone._

Something about Leon's words made her uneasy. He was too calm, too collected. If he knew that they weren't being eavesdropped on, he would've called her by her actual name. He might have done it regardless. Something was wrong and she was feeling it deep in her chest, filling her with dread. Her gut never lied, and it was telling her that she had better listen or consequences would follow.

She wasn't sticking around for that.

Alexandra continued climbing out the window and shimmied along what little room she was given along the side of the mansion. She had to force herself not to freak out as she heard Leon roar her fake name and bang on the bathroom door. Her foot ended up slipping and she catches herself using what little strength she had and shimmies the rest of the way towards the corner to the other side. She was luckily out of sight when she sees him poke his head out of the window and look around before looking down. His hair was slicked back with a white hair clip holding the asymmetrical side out of his face. His upper half looked like he was dressed formally. She couldn't see his eyes from here.

The rain made it hard to listen for anything on the inside. She silently cursed as her grip began to wane. She may have no choice but to fall.

"No, d-don't—" Just before her grip gives way entirely, Alexandra hurriedly pulls herself up and hugs the wall. Her heart hammered in her chest. That was too close for her comfort. She palms the limiter around her neck and sighs. She's alive, she's okay…for now. She's surviving this…now she just had to get to Leon. If that even _was_ him. She didn't trust it, especially since his reaction was violent to her not responding. Did he have his monitor? Did he call Hunnigan?

Shit. The poor girl was probably still trying to get through to them. Now her current objective was clear.

"…I need to find my gear."

The rain still poured and showed no signs of relent. The evening gown she wore suddenly felt gross and clammy against her skin. Alexandra reached for the closest window and felt around it so she could find purchase. When she does, she slowly begins to lift it up…then slams it down and hide in the blind spot of the window. There were footsteps coming down the hallway. The seconds that ticked by felt endless as she waited for them to disappear. When she was sure, she quickly opened the window and tumbled inside. Wiping away the water that dripped in her face and wringing out her now drenched hair, she's finally able to examine her surroundings.

She truly wished that Julian and whoever else resided in this place knew how to be original when it came to interior decorating.

"Oh, for fuck's sake…someone be original for once."

Quips aside, she was still close to having a mental breakdown. But she had to keep moving. She needed to at least get her gear…once she does that, she can focus on encountering Leon. Right now, she wasn't worth a damn and if Leon wasn't in his right mind, it'd be easy for him to injure her. Alexandra breathes deep and stands up, heading in the opposite direction of the footsteps that had just passed her not too long ago. Right now, she seemed to be in a corridor full of doors. She tested the knob on the one right in front of her and huffed when it didn't budge. She gazes down at the knob and realizes there's a yellow jewel engraved above the lock.

Great.

"Color coded keys…fuckin' perfect. Bet y'all got a fuckin' lab underneath this mansion too," She mused angrily as she moved to examine another door. This one had a red jewel engraved above its lock instead. "…For fuck's sake."

If she knew she was going to have to do a scavenger hunt, she would've looked around the room a bit before she stumbled into the bathroom. Alexandra places her head against the door in frustration and gathers her strength before moving on. Every step she took was an effort, but she had no choice.

She refuses to die in a place that resembles where her suffering began.

* * *

He had said an hour, but that was to be safe. Within half an hour, Zero had left their home on a black and red motorcycle and took to the highway. His faith isn't misplaced when he told both of them to lie in his stead. To make himself look inconspicuous, he hid his limiter by replacing his previous shirt and wearing a white turtleneck. His face is covered with the corresponding motorcycle helmet.

He sticks to the lesser known roads and only stays on the highway when it's absolutely necessary. His previous life before he became what he was had beaten it into him. As he drove, it gave him time to think about his plan when he got to his destination. He planned when it came to them both at least, carrying a backup supply of T-Suppressants and Stimulants just in case something happened with Leon's set. He hopes it's just a simple case of miscommunication.

With how long he's been under the government's thumb, he knows better. His intuition knows it, too.

Just before he hits the state line for North Carolina, Zero makes a pitstop in Danville, Virginia. He pulls over in an abandoned service shop, putting the kickstand down and turning off the ignition. He approaches the service garage, lifting and tossing the door up and breaking the lock he left on it only to be greeted by a cloud of dust and a car in the back. Zero takes off the helmet and coughs for a moment, turning on the lights within. The inside of the service garage was kept relatively clean, the heavy smell of oil and metal still lingering. He used this place as a hideout for himself and any vehicle he can stow away underneath of David's nose. The motorcycle he was using was originally from USSTRATCOM's abundance of approved vehicles for field work if they couldn't be picked up via helicopter. He merely maintained it for his own needs, but it was useless now.

The car inside proved much more useful for this anyway.

Setting down the motorcycle helmet, Zero grabs the set of car keys off the wall and opens the driver side, inserting them into the ignition and turning it. Much to his relief, it started up strong. The gas tank needed to be refilled, though. He had placed a few full gasoline cans inside of the garage the last time he used it.

He didn't see them where he left them, unfortunately. Unease started to set into his features. Then he smelled something faintly floral nearby. It was familiar, tantalizing to those unfamiliar with the person who wore it. He unfortunately _was_ acquainted, and he immediately turned towards the open garage door.

Zero wasn't alone anymore.

"…How long have you been here?" He asked, slowly turning his head to catch a glimpse of the figure behind him. "It couldn't have been more than half an hour."

"…And here I thought working with the government turned you soft, Zero. No, you're better than the last time we met, hm?" Heels clicked against the concrete flooring of the garage. Meanwhile Zero noted every step she took and mapped her position. She was more than within range if he turned around and took one giant step. "You're not here by coincidence, are you?"

"Neither are you, Ada." He sighs, walking back towards the car he still needed to top off with gas. "Gasoline canisters. Now."

"Not even going to wonder what I'm doing here, Zero? You take the fun out of holding you at gunpoint."

Ada drops one of the canisters next to his feet and backs up as quickly as she could muster in her heels, watching as he picks it up and goes to fill up the car. She pays attention to his demeanor if she could call it that. He didn't even seem concerned that a gun is pointing straight at him. She holsters her gun and waits for him to speak.

"…A gun doesn't bother me anymore." He turns off the ignition and opens the gas tank compartment to top off the gas. "Nothing really does. Go see to your mission. You'll get more enjoyment out of that than me."

"I see an old face, I'm willing to spare a few minutes to catch up."

"I'm busy, Ada. Leave."

"Ever a man of few words." She now realizes that Zero had an agenda of his own, one that was dire enough to have him more abrasive than she's ever seen him. He's always been a man of duty, though his callousness had reminded her of a few people she had more than wronged and carried that same vitriol with them to this day. "You make it obvious that you're worried about something…or someone."

"If you value your life, you'd mind your business." He enters the driver's side of the car and starts the ignition and puts the car in drive.

"So, I'm on the mark." Ada's devious smirk was something to be feared by those who know her. If Zero were human once more, he might have been one of them…to an extent. But he was worse. He scoffs, pulling the car out of the garage and past her. "I wonder if our paths will cross soon. I hope they do. I'm interested in what secrets you've been hiding after all this time."

"Nothing that concerns you." Zero exits the car for one final time, grabbing the motorcycle he arrived with and starting its ignition and slowly bringing it into the garage. He turns it off and hangs the keys where the car keys were previously set. He shuts the garage door once Ada steps outside and enters the car once more. "If you value your life, you'll stay away from me and anything that concerns me."

"Is that a warning, Zero?"

"A threat." He reaches into the glove compartment, grabbing a pair of sunglasses and sliding them onto his face. Ada sauntered up to the driver's window, leaning against it. He ignored her, yet she had something to say.

"Heading to North Carolina?" She asks.

"Don't make that type of mistake, Butterfly. It'll be your last."

Ada wasn't surprised that was his reaction. She's used to hostile tones, but Zero's was…different. Hell, he was different period. She wasn't sure this was the same person from almost ten years ago. Something changed in him. Her curiosity demanded to be sated, but her survival instincts were telling her to heed his warning. She steps back from the car and watches Zero leave. She too had her own secrets…demanding him to say anything would mean she had to spill the beans about her own.

She's not that willing for anyone. With a scoff, she returns to her own vehicle. He may not be willing to divulge, but all information comes with a price. She just had to figure out how much.

* * *

Her chest burned and heaved the more she ran. Luck was not on her side, as she had unfortunately run into Leon…but he wasn't himself. Red eyes and a one-track mind…he had the look of a man possessed…literally. He kept cutting her off at the most inopportune times, not to mention calling her by her cover name consistently. What has gotten into him? Alexandra didn't have time to stop to catch her breath. If she did, her body would succumb to the T-Suppressant's hold on her. She was hoping that Leon would've had a Stimulant or two hidden on him somewhere, but he was completely bare of all of his equipment he came with.

She locked doors, moved tables to block and threw objects to confuse him, but he was on her trail like a Tyrant usually would be. The roles were reversed and the fear in her is palpable. She made the mistake of locking eyes with him, and she pays dearly for it. She loses her footing on the staircase she was trying to descend, and she tumbles down. Her upper body collides with the cool dark marble flooring of the main level and it knocks the wind out of her. She hears Leon's slowly follow her. Desperate now, she crawls.

"Look what you've done to yourself, Ava…" Alexandra kept crawling even as she heard his voice. This wasn't Leon. Of course not. Leon never slicked his hair back. He didn't have red eyes. He didn't have stalker tendencies. He would never call her Ava without reason, nor his wife so nonchalantly. His personality did a flip on its head like a coin and she was afraid—she had no way to defend herself. "Your dress is fraying, your hair looks like a cloud…if you'd stop running, I could help you."

All she could do was run and it irritated her.

"Stay away from me," She breathes, her body finally allowing her to move how she wanted it to. "Don't fuckin' touch me. Fuckin' parasite!"

"Is that how you refer to me?" If she didn't know any better, she would say he looked offended by her words. She didn't care. "Aren't I your loving husband?"

"YOU'RE NOT MY HUSBAND, AND YOU WILL NEVER BE." The rage that had become so familiar to her over the years came back with a vengeance. She uses the black leather armchair to bring herself up to a vertical base, her body now boiling with pure fury. "MY REAL HUSBAND IS _NOTHIN' _LIKE YOU. YOU FUCKIN' CHEAP KNOCKOFF!"

Those words forced Leon to charge towards her and she prepared herself accordingly. Once he brought his upper body forward to lunge, Alexandra leaned backwards and brought her foot up to catch him in the chest. She turned his momentum against him and they both tumbled, with him going over the chair and she falls back while still in it. She rolls over and brings herself back to her feet and uses the window of time she created for herself to run once again. She had to find her clothes and gear, call into Hunnigan to give an update, and save Leon from a past nightmare.

She most certainly had her hands full. Suppressed or not, she wasn't letting whoever is in charge of the freakshow win. If anyone was going to stand tall after this, it was going to be them. Alexandra continues her dead sprint, then an ajar door catches her eye. She doubles back quickly and goes through, locking the door behind her. She places an ear against the door and listens for Leon's footsteps. She hears him sprint past the door yelling her cover name, and once his footsteps were gone she took deep breaths. The crisis of being caught by him had passed for now…but she couldn't leave him be for much longer. She had to get that parasite out of him or there wouldn't be anything left of him.

Alexandra focuses on her most obvious objective: getting her gear. She looks around the room she had thrown herself into without much thought. A big bedroom, with a king size bed and the nightstands on either side being the main items. Off to the side near the window, there was a tea table and two pure white armchairs on either side up the tiny flight of stairs. A sofa and a coffee table were just across from the foot of the bed itself. There was a large wardrobe on the right side of it, with an entrance to the bathroom directly in front of where she was standing.

She found the door cracked. She could search this place. There had to be something of importance here. She wasn't leaving until she found it. She started with the nightstands, checking their drawers. They were empty, besides a copy of the Bible in either of them. Oh, the irony. God had abandoned her long ago. She searches the wardrobe, sorting through the clothes individually. There was nothing she could fit in, let alone anything of use. Still, she wasn't giving up. She wanted to be thorough before she moved on.

Alexandra flips up the cushions in the sofa. There was a golden key underneath with a red jewel as the center piece, and a large black jewel in the shape of a diamond. Was it from onyx? It didn't matter to her; she had just struck some damn luck. Two items that served a purpose. She knew where the key could be used, but the onyx jewel was an odd one. She's certain she would come upon its use the more she explored.

"Good, some fuckin' luck. Now if I could stumble upon a fuckin' Stimulant so I can get my stamina back, that'd be great."

She's hoping that the key would at least lead her to her lost gear…or to somewhere that can remove the plaga from Leon's body. It hasn't even been a week since they met. She didn't have an attachment, nor did she feel attraction to him, but she felt more than inclined to risk her life and it had nothing to do with the contract she signed with him. Leaving someone to die who could be saved would leave a bad taste in her mouth. She had to try, at the very least. Alexandra tucks the key and jewel in the only place that she could: In between her breasts. If the gown had pockets, it would be _somewhat_ useful to her. Beggars can't be choosers when someone has it out for you.

Before she opens the door, she presses her ear against the door and listens for voices or footsteps. Once she's sure, she opens the door and leaves the bedroom. If she could get a map or something that could act as a waypoint to avoid going in circles, she would appreciate it. The fatigue from the T-Suppressant was still heavy in her bones. Time was ticking down for them both.

She turns the corner and ascends the staircase at the end of the corridor as fast as she could muster. They had more than overstayed their welcome. As she reaches the top and makes a right, she bumps into Leon once again. She's already trying to scramble away from him, but he grabs her and holds her in place.

"Alex, wait—"

"GET OFF OF ME!"

"Alex, it's me!"

_"DON'T FUCKIN' TOUCH ME—"_

_"ALEX, IT'S ME!"_

Alexandra stopped her aggressive movements, taking deep breaths as she collected herself and stared up at him. His eyes were normal, and he managed to return his hair to its normal look. The white clip that held his asymmetrical side up was nowhere to be found. Best of all, his eyes were back to their natural blue shade. She relaxed as much as she could without succumbing to the unrelenting grip of the T-Suppressant swimming around in her veins.

"God fuckin' dammit…you're a persistent bastard," She says in between breaths. "Crazy, too…"

"Blame the plaga." Leon lifts from her and helps her up. He watches her hesitate on grabbing his hand to stand up. "I was aware for most of it…I couldn't stop myself."

"Do y'know who infected you with it? Do y'know where our gear is? We need to report in to Hunnigan."

"I know. Found a door that needs a key with a red jewel in it to get in. Did you find one?"

"Found more than that." She pulls from between the valley of her breasts the key in question and the onyx jewel she picked up in the room she left a short while ago. Leon stared for a moment, surprised. "What? Girl's gotta work with what she's got."

"You've got a lot to work with…definitely easy on the eyes, too." He scoffs at his own light attempt at flirting. Alexandra rolled her eyes. As exasperated at his statement made her, she appreciated his attempt to alleviate the tension. "I remember the way…somewhat."

She walks the key in her hand along her fingers with a simper. Things were finally going their way.

"Lead the way, oh mighty _Overlord._"


End file.
